Sir, – Concern Worldwide welcomes the commitment by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin to elevate the horror of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan with his EU counterparts (News, July 19th).
The Tánaiste made this commitment in Ethiopia this week, following meetings in Ethiopia and Kenya. Intervention by the EU and the wider international community is long overdue to halt the fighting and create the conditions for a large-scale humanitarian response.
It is shocking that Sudan has become “the forgotten war”. The scale of the suffering is shameful. After 16 months of fighting, half the population – 25 million people – are vulnerable and in need of humanitarian assistance.
Over 750,000 people are estimated to be facing famine-like conditions. To put it bluntly, this means children are already dying and will continue to do so.
Over seven million people have fled their homes and a further two million have crossed into neighbouring countries. The health service has collapsed, resulting in disease outbreaks such as cholera, measles, malaria and dengue fever.
The Concern team on the ground are faced with the reality of a population edging ever closer to famine. The 90 clinics we support are under severe stress with increasing numbers of sick and malnourished children seeking treatment.
Our teams along the borders of neighbouring Chad and South Sudan are also under pressure as hundreds of thousands of desperate and traumatised Sudanese people have fled conflict in search of food, water and shelter. The flow of refugees continues daily.
In an increasingly polarised world, the EU has a responsibility to address this scale of suffering. Concern wholeheartedly supports the Tánaiste’s efforts to get the EU to urgently intervene in this massive crisis in Sudan with political action, and to garner the funds and resources necessary to alleviate famine. – Yours, etc,
DAVID REGAN,
Chief Executive,
Concern Worldwide,
Dublin 2.