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From the Press Centre, GOAL, Ireland
GOAL has received funding totalling almost one and a half million
Euro for its humanitarian programmes in Darfur, Western Sudan.
In the vanguard of the international aid effort in Darfur, GOAL
is distributing medicines and shelter materials to some of the two
million people who have been displaced by government bombing and
terror raids by armed militias.
The work of the Dun Laoghaire based organisation has attracted
the financial support of the European Community Humanitarian Office
(ECHO), (€500,000) and the UK’s Department for International
Development (Dfid) €850,000.
In addition to this money, GOAL has also received €41,000
worth of food from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and
€50,000 of medicines from Unicef for distribution to affected
people.
The Government of Sudan was accused by The United Nations recently
of masterminding a “reign of terror” which has had catastrophic
consequences for the population in the western region of Darfur.
The acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan,
accused the Sudanese Government of massive human rights violations
which he says “may constitute war crimes and/or crimes against
humanity”.
Over a million people have been forced from their homes in Darfur
and are now prey to the attentions of wandering bands of armed Arab
militias called Janjaweeds, who swoop across the desert on horses
and camels murdering, raping and looting as they go. The Janjaweeds
are being armed and encouraged by the Sudanese Government.
“Whatever the cause of the fighting, it is the terrible suffering
of the people that greatly concerns us” said GOAL Chief Executive,
John O’Shea. “Thankfully, because GOAL has been working
on Sudan for almost 20 years, we are known in the area and gained
access without too much delay”.
”This aid effort is a race against time” he warned.
“In a few weeks time the rains will come and operations will
become even more difficult”.
“We have an emergency on our hands and I am asking readers
to PLEASE help GOAL to help the people of Darfur. Please send what
you can to GOAL, PO Box 19, Dun Laoghaire, Co, Dublin or make a
credit card donation by phoning 01 2809 779”.
O’Shea also appealed to Bertie Ahern and Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Brain Cowen, to raise the suffering of the people of Western
Sudan at EU and UN level.
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