DATE=8/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / SUDAN (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265064
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A senior U-N official denies Sudanese media
charges that the United Nations is helping the rebel
Sudan People's Liberation Army. Lisa Schlein reports
the official has just returned to Geneva from Sudan,
where he says he expressed some concerns to government
officials.
TEXT: U-N Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator Ross
Mountain says he went to Sudan seeking guarantees from
the government that the U-N humanitarian aid operation
would not be interrupted.
He says he expressed his dismay at the breakdown of
the cease-fire between the government and rebels. And
he says he asked for assurances that the United
Nations could continue to assist millions of people in
southern Sudan.
Mr. Mountain says he was upset to see what he calls an
apparent campaign in the Sudanese media against the U-
N relief program known as Operation Lifeline Sudan.
/// MOUNTAIN ACT ONE ///
Following my visit, there were a number of
remarks attributed directly to me, which bore no
relationship to the truth whatsoever. And any
allegations to the contrary that we have been
partisan to the breakdown of the cease-fire are
absolutely unfounded. And, I wanted to
underline that in the strongest terms possible.
/// END ACT ///
Operation Lifeline Sudan began 11-years ago. The
United Nations is spending 200-million U-S dollars
this year to assist 11-million-500-thousand people
throughout the country. Of these, nearly three-
million receive food aid.
Mr. Mountain says the operation has meant the
difference between life and death for millions of
Sudanese caught in the civil war. He says the United
Nations provides assistance to any person in need.
And he says the allegations in the Sudanese media are
potentially dangerous.
/// MOUNTAIN ACT TWO ///
There are a number of media charges that
aircraft that are related to Operation Lifeline
Sudan might be carrying other than emergency
relief supplies, just to take one example, which
clearly is not the case.
/// END ACT //
Over the years, the United Nations has been accused of
permitting its relief planes to carry weapons for the
rebels.
Mr. Mountain says such allegations harm international
efforts to provide assistance to the people of Sudan.
He says the allegations also potentially endanger the
lives and safety of U-N and private aid workers.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH/RAE
02-Aug-2000 11:43 AM EDT (02-Aug-2000 1543 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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