OXFAM Withdraws Its Staff From Upper Nile State Due To Insecurity

Nairobi
November 16, 2011 (Sudan Radio Service)

Presence of insecurity along the Sudan and South Sudan borders has caused Oxfam an international organization to withdraw its staff members along the area.

The Oxfam Spokesperson Alun McDonald told SRS in Nairobi that about 22 of their staff members have left Upper Nile State.

[Alun McDonald]:“We evacuated our Staff out of Maban county and Renk in Upper Nile State over the weekend. So we have withdrawn about 22 members of our Staff. Most of them are engineers and health workers. We took the decision after same discussions because of the increase of insecurity over the past few days. In the past week, we have seen quite a lot of bombings along the border area and also in Unity State and Maban County where we were working. There has been some troop movements and that is general insecurity. So we took a decision to withdraw our staff from the area.”

Mister McDonald said that refugees flocking in from Blue Nile state will be affected by the withdrawal of Oxfam in Upper Nile State.

[Alun McDonald]: “We have seen an increase of refugees coming into Maban County. For example, over the past couple of weeks, we have seen them running from the fighting in Blue Nile. They are looking thirsty and pale. And now the security situation where they are living is getting worse and they need immediate supply of water and sanitation. They are going to be affected. This is now our biggest concern.” 

Alun McDonald said that among the staff members who were withdrawn from Oxfam included 19 south Sudanese and 3 International Staff.

[Al Sawarmi Khalid] “First we are committed to the Naivasha agreement so that we can take positive steps to support security along the border. We are confirming that we don’t have any reason to support movements outside our border. And if there is anyone who is saying that SAF is supporting any movement let him prove it. Even George Athor himself confirmed that we don’t have any relationship with him and his forces.”

Khalid was speaking to SRS on Friday from Khartoum.

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