Sudan trip not waste of time, say officials
Minister Kitt leaves today for a week-long trip to Sudan, where more than a million displaced people in the Western Darfur region are in danger of dying unless sufficient aid reaches them quickly.
The crisis sparked by fighting between local Christian militias and Government-armed Arab rebels known as the Janjaweed has been described by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as the world's worst humanitarian disaster.
However, commenting yesterday, GOAL's John O'Shea criticised the visit saying Minister Kitt should spend less time with officials and instead visit those affected by the disaster.
"The Minister should spend his time in the villages and other centres where the impoverished and frightened inhabitants of Darfur have gathered in search of protection.
"It is pointless for Minister Kitt to waste time with government officials. That task has been done by Kofi Annan and Colin Powell," he said. Mr O'Shea also said it was vital that Minister Kitt listen to the stories of how the Janjaweed "came into villages, killed men and boys, raped women and took away many thousands of slaves."
However, Department officials last night said Minister Kitt would meet both objectives. "Tom Kitt will go and meet with some of the worst-affected people as well as urge the Government to allow aid access and do all it can to stop any fighting," said a department spokesman.
Minister Kitt said: "My message in visiting Darfur is that everything must be done to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers in order that emergency operations can continue unimpeded."
Earlier this month Mr Kitt announced funding of €1 million for aid agencies Unicef, Oxfam and GOAL, bringing Ireland's assistance to the region to €2.9m this year.
