28 June 2001
FICSA Update No. 30 2001
UN Locally-Recruited Staff Left Behind in Besieged Town in Southwest Sudan
The New York Times reported on Monday, 18 June 2001 that the United Nations and other aid agencies have evacuated workers from Wau - a town 620 miles southwest of Khartoum - ahead of an advance by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army.
Médecins sans frontières evacuated its staff over the weekend. The United Nations pulled out 24 foreign workers on Thursday. But, according to a statement from Ms. Brenda Barton, spokeswoman for the World Food Program, "Sudanese workers recruited in Wau stayed behind".
Wau is located at a highly strategic crossroads in Bahr el-Gazal province and is heavily defended by Government troops. Rebel commanders agreed to a cease-fire Friday, 15 and Saturday, 16 June to allow planes to fly the workers out. Shelling of the besieged town has since resumed.
FICSA wrote to Ms. Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of WFP, and Mr. Benon Sevan, United Nations Security Coordinator, for explanations. FICSA noted that, whilst we could imagine good reasons for this situation, the statement from Ms. Brenda Barton did not reflect well on the United Nations system and raised legitimate concerns with our colleagues, particularly those working in difficult areas.