WFP Stops Food Aid To Kitgum
Sep 17, 2002
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended food aid delivery to Kitgum and Pader districts indefinitely.
BY Caroline Lamwaka
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended food aid delivery to Kitgum and Pader districts indefinitely.
This follows an attack on Saturday by suspected LRA rebels on a convoy of trucks transporting food to Kitgum in which a driver was killed.
WFP has condemned the attack and has appealed for safe humanitarian access to northern Uganda.
The suspension of the deliveries will leave more than 120,000 people who are in desperate need cut off from food aid, the UN agency said.
At a press conference at WFP offices in Kampala yesterday, the Country Director, Ken Noah Davis said, “We are suspending our operation until the security situation improves. I can’t put a time frame to that, but I hope the situation will improve as soon as possible.†He said they needed at least a week to review the security situation.
An earlier statement issued by WFP in Kampala on Monday said the convoy of eight commercial trucks, carrying 300 tonnes of food aid and clearly marked with WFP flags, came under attack on Saturday morning while travelling with an army escort on the Lira-Kitgum road.
Armed men hiding in trees opened fire on the trucks. The driver of one of the trucks was killed, forcing all other vehicles to stop. An exchange of fire between the armed men and the Ugandan army escorting the convoy followed. The gunmen were repulsed.
The release said the convoy was eventually able to proceed to Kitgum town and no food was stolen. However the food has not been sent to the locations within Kitgum district where beneficiaries are for fear of further attacks.
At the press conference, Davies said they requested for armed escorts following an incident last Wednesday in which a commercial truck they had contracted was stopped by the rebels and burnt on the Kitgum-Lira road. He said, “When the truck was burnt, it gave us great concern on whether to continue. I talked with the Minister for Disaster Preparedness, brig. Moses Ali, and he arranged for the trucks to be escorted. That was the first time ever to use a convoy. The convoy, which left Lira in the morning, was ambushed at around 1:30pm between Puranga and Rackoko. I have to condemn this act because this driver was a completely innocent person and he paid with the ultimate sacrifice. I appeal to the LRA to please allow WFP to operate without being targeted.â€
Davies said he had hoped the convoy would provide adequate security. “We are here on the request of the government and the government is responsible for the security of our staff. That sets us apart from other NGOs who say they won’t travel with escorts. We feel that our higher obligation is to get the food across.
Until this week, WFP had not been targeted by the LRA. What happened last week is a new development. I have to give my appreciation to WFP and NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council) staff for the food distribution. It takes a lot of courage. I appeal to the LRA to make it clear that they will respect the World Food Programme and to allow WFP to deliver food.â€
He hoped more measures would be taken to provide security along the roads.
“It is totally unacceptable that humanitarian aid would be the target of such attacks,†he said
Ends
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended food aid delivery to Kitgum and Pader districts indefinitely.
This follows an attack on Saturday by suspected LRA rebels on a convoy of trucks transporting food to Kitgum in which a driver was killed.
WFP has condemned the attack and has appealed for safe humanitarian access to northern Uganda.
The suspension of the deliveries will leave more than 120,000 people who are in desperate need cut off from food aid, the UN agency said.
At a press conference at WFP offices in Kampala yesterday, the Country Director, Ken Noah Davis said, “We are suspending our operation until the security situation improves. I can’t put a time frame to that, but I hope the situation will improve as soon as possible.†He said they needed at least a week to review the security situation.
An earlier statement issued by WFP in Kampala on Monday said the convoy of eight commercial trucks, carrying 300 tonnes of food aid and clearly marked with WFP flags, came under attack on Saturday morning while travelling with an army escort on the Lira-Kitgum road.
Armed men hiding in trees opened fire on the trucks. The driver of one of the trucks was killed, forcing all other vehicles to stop. An exchange of fire between the armed men and the Ugandan army escorting the convoy followed. The gunmen were repulsed.
The release said the convoy was eventually able to proceed to Kitgum town and no food was stolen. However the food has not been sent to the locations within Kitgum district where beneficiaries are for fear of further attacks.
At the press conference, Davies said they requested for armed escorts following an incident last Wednesday in which a commercial truck they had contracted was stopped by the rebels and burnt on the Kitgum-Lira road. He said, “When the truck was burnt, it gave us great concern on whether to continue. I talked with the Minister for Disaster Preparedness, brig. Moses Ali, and he arranged for the trucks to be escorted. That was the first time ever to use a convoy. The convoy, which left Lira in the morning, was ambushed at around 1:30pm between Puranga and Rackoko. I have to condemn this act because this driver was a completely innocent person and he paid with the ultimate sacrifice. I appeal to the LRA to please allow WFP to operate without being targeted.â€
Davies said he had hoped the convoy would provide adequate security. “We are here on the request of the government and the government is responsible for the security of our staff. That sets us apart from other NGOs who say they won’t travel with escorts. We feel that our higher obligation is to get the food across.
Until this week, WFP had not been targeted by the LRA. What happened last week is a new development. I have to give my appreciation to WFP and NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council) staff for the food distribution. It takes a lot of courage. I appeal to the LRA to make it clear that they will respect the World Food Programme and to allow WFP to deliver food.â€
He hoped more measures would be taken to provide security along the roads.
“It is totally unacceptable that humanitarian aid would be the target of such attacks,†he said
Ends