March, 05 2009, 03:50pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Alun McDonald + 254 736 666 663
Rebecca Wynn + 44 (0) 1865 472530, + 44 (0) 7769 887139
Ian Bray +44 7721 461 339
Sudan Aid Crisis: Oxfam GB Pulls Back International Staff to Khartoum While it Appeals Decision to Revoke Registration
Oxfam Great Britain has
begun to temporarily relocate international staff to Khartoum and some
national staff to state capitals in Darfur while it appeals the Sudan
government's decision to revoke its registration to work in that
country.
The agency has had to hand over its laptops and
communications equipment to the government. This will adversely affect
its ability to carry out its work, which was reaching some 600,000
people across Darfur, in Khartoum state and the east of the country.
WASHINGTON
Oxfam Great Britain has
begun to temporarily relocate international staff to Khartoum and some
national staff to state capitals in Darfur while it appeals the Sudan
government's decision to revoke its registration to work in that
country.
The agency has had to hand over its laptops and
communications equipment to the government. This will adversely affect
its ability to carry out its work, which was reaching some 600,000
people across Darfur, in Khartoum state and the east of the country.
Oxfam
GB estimates that its supply of clean water and other programs can
continue to be run by local communities and Oxfam-trained volunteers
for a number of weeks but if its appeal to the government fails then
its program will have to close.
Oxfam Great Britain's work in
Darfur is its biggest emergency program in the world. It has operated
in northern Sudan since 1983 and currently has 450 staff, 90% of whom
are Sudanese. Oxfam is an independent, impartial non-governmental
organization, with absolutely no links to the International Criminal
Court. Oxfam does not have an opinion on the Court's activities, and
our sole focus is meeting humanitarian and development needs in Sudan.
Oxfam International is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. We are working across regions in about 70 countries, with thousands of partners, and allies, supporting communities to build better lives for themselves, grow resilience and protect lives and livelihoods also in times of crisis.
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