Since February 2003, there has been an escalating conflict in the Western Sudanese region Darfur with more than 10.000 people killed. The cruel attacks on civilians have created the largest humanitarian crisis in the last 10 years according to the United Nations. An estimated one million people are displaced by the attacks. An unofficially estimated 180.000 have reached refugee camps in the neighbouring country Chad. The majority of the displaced peopled is affected by destitution and permanent fear and suffer from insufficient food, water and shelter as well as from little medical care. Up to now, the Sudanese Government prohibited international assistance to the displaced people.

To accelerate the humanitarian response to the Darfur crisis, the Government of Sudan agreed to let international organisations enter the region. The Sudanese Government said it would ease travel restrictions from Monday 24th of May in order to enable humanitarian assistance from international relief organisations. Help is urgently needed as the rainy season starts in two weeks and will make many roads inaccessible and therefore isolates the refugees.

The Order of Malta German Emergency Corps (Malteser) is represented in Southern Sudan since 1997 with different health programmes. Their representatives thoroughly observe the current situation and assess the possible approaches to relief the situation.

A bilateral dialogue between the two ECOM operational centres OHFOM and Malteser Germany has been started in order to examine possible relief actions.

ECOM requests all Members to provide, if possible, further information about their view of the situation and to start, if possible, an appeal for funds in their Association.

For further questions, please contact Mr. Ingo Radtke, ECOM Secretary General,

Email: Ingo.Radtke@malteser-ald.de