“SARHO”: The Army committed a crime by
using Aid as a "weapon" against Citizens
The Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations “SARHO” announced its willingness to open all international crossings that could be an outlet and a path to save lives that are on the brink of death.
The “SARHO” added in a statement that; in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis and the high rates of famine, according to United Nations reports and the confirmation of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a famine has been officially declared in North Darfur.
The statement of the Sudanese Agency, which was obtained by “Assayha”, explained that this is the third time that famine has been declared by the (IPC) in the past two decades. At a time when Port Sudan keeps denying the existence of any possibility of famine, we find that some Sudanese citizens have been forced to resort to consuming tree leaves and dirt to survive in areas such as Darfur and Kordofan.
As the suffering of Al-Jazeera, Khartoum and Sennar states intensifies due to the imposed ban on accessing food products and the subsequent punishment that befalls anyone who attempts to trade in those regions, in light of the Army’s insistence, through the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), on refusing to allow humanitarian aid to enter in response to pressure from the Security Service that have weaponized starvation in the ongoing war.
The Agency added that there are currently about (11) million displaced persons, while about half of Sudan’s population suffers from varying levels of famine, and about (750) thousand people are on the verge of severe famine. It’s rather expected that another (2.5) million people will die due to the conditions associated with the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations confirmed that it is doing its utmost to communicate with the Rapid Support Forces and United Nations organizations, especially the World Food Program (WFO), to find objective solutions to protect and ensure the facilitation of the movement of Aid to affected communities.
In this regard, the Agency succeeded in diverting (25) trucks -that were scheduled to head to other areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces in Darfur- to head instead to the “Zamzam” Camp for displaced persons in North Darfur state, believing that the needs of the people in “Zamzam” Camp are more urgent than all other needs despite the scarcity of humanitarian aid overall. However, the Sudanese people will continue to share, as generosity is a given with whatever is available.
The “SARHO” statement stressed that: “We will continue to work with the United Nations and the Rapid Support Forces to ensure adequate protection until these trucks reach their final destination. The intransigence and use of humanitarian aid and starvation as a weapon to punish innocent citizens who reside outside the areas controlled by the Armed Forces is a humanitarian crime by all standards. We will continue to put forth efforts to ensure the activation of crossings other than those imposed by the Port Sudan Military government to control the destinies of people as a result of arrogance, haughtiness that reflect the Security Service’s deeply rooted pathological hatred against the citizens. So that citizens don’t end up being the war victims.”
The Agency added: “We must emphasize that the (Adré) crossing is the ideal route for humanitarian aid flows, especially with the worsening situation with increasing rainfall and road obstructions. We also announce our willingness to open all international crossings that can be an outlet and to save lives that are on the brink of death. We will work with everyone to ensure the provision of necessary protection that enhances the delivery of humanitarian aid and the safety of humanitarian workers.”
The “SARHO” called on the both parties to the conflict to participate in the negotiations, which would represent a glimmer of hope for the innocent citizens who were the most affected by the expansion of this war and its extensions.
The statement also shared: “We would like to renew our firm commitment to ensuring the provision of the necessary protection that enhances the delivery process of humanitarian aid as well as ensure the safety of humanitarian workers. Together, we seek to build paths of hope and resilience in these difficult times.
