Sudan has the Right to Control and Coordinate Humanitarian Work within its Territory, Interview

We have decided to not allow for the direct handling of foreign organizations with those affected

I can assure the situation is stable and under control in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile

Citizens in the areas that controlled by the SPLM are suffering from the humanitarian situation

Humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, has become the focus of the international community, and inspired the eruption of a new crisis between the country and the international community to add to the multi crises of Sudan.
Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, in charge this file seems responsive with the repercussions of the crisis, but Sudanese foreign ministry seems more stringent in attitudes towards what comes out of the concerned international organizations.

Al-Sahafa daily newspaper conducted the following interview with Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner; Dr. Sulaiman Abdul Rahman to know what is going on in Southern Kordofan and Southern Blue Nile.

Q - Why do you refuse to allow international aid agencies to deal directly with those affected by war there?
A- The various international organizations working in Sudan is committed to agreements signed with us, and in the framework of humanitarian concern, we have  provided a lot of facilities to perform their duties in Sudan on the grounds that Sudan is a sovereign state and has a permanent membership in the United Nations and has the rights and duties, this means that Sudan has the right to ask for any assistance if needed, Sudan has the right to control and coordinate humanitarian work within its territory, to manage humanitarian work with national cadres to coordinate supervision processes with other and international partners.
Under the resolution of the UN General Assembly, the national authorities was given the right to provide humanitarian aid to those affected and lead the operations of  international humanitarian operations on home territory, so we did not get out of these covenants and conventions, we have learned many lessons from our experience in Darfur through the active participation of the international community and international organizations that secured the humanitarian situation there, but the evaluation of the said experience highlights negative phenomena of some organizations and sometimes individuals who work in it.

Amira El-Fadil

Q - What are the negative phenomena that you founded in the work of organizations and individuals?
A - These phenomena lies in dealing directly with the affected, it became clear to us through the big difference between the culture, heritage and beliefs of our country and workers in organizations. Through experience in Darfur, and we found that the best staff to carry out the  humanitarian process and dealing affected is the national staff, so we have decided to not allow for the direct handling of foreign organizations with those affected.

Q - What is your evaluation, as a concerned body, to the humanitarian situation in the two regions?
A- On the humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan, the crisis started on 6/6/2011 at Kadugli and continued to now, we started the humanitarian operation in coordination with the state's government, where we have provided humanitarian aid to war affected, such as drugs through the Sudanese Red Crescent, and we formed joint working team with relevant national, international and foreign aid organizations to assist  those affected, then we made a survey on the essential needs and we had  provided all the necessary needs until citizens returned to the city, now, all information indicates that Southern Kordofan is stable.
We used the same plan in the Blue Nile, where we formed a joint mechanism that including all aid organizations, I can assure that the situation is stable and under control in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, where the UN and the international community have affirmed that, where they announced their appreciation that the state was able to provide the humanitarian needs of its citizens.

Child

Q - But there are world claims that humanitarian situation is not likely, and that people in the two regions facing the specter of famine and death?
A - We have received information from the coordinator of humanitarian aid of the UN, indicating  that they are satisfied with the areas that fall on the government side, but the citizens in the areas that controlled by the SPLM  are suffering from the humanitarian situation, and we told them that we welcome humanitarian aid and we have no objection that the Commission of humanitarian work, national and international partners to go to those areas as a technician team to assess the needs of those in need and then provide them with aid, but the SPLM refused that. Secondly the Sudanese President announced in Kadugli a cease-fire by the government as a kind gesture and appeal to stop the war, facilitating the process and providing humanitarian aid, but the lack of response from the other party that made the people suffer to a large degree.