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.