Aid Agencies Suspend Work in East

Posted to the web 8 October 2008 Rising banditry across eastern Chad has forced several aid organizations to temporarily suspend their work, the United Nations humanitarian wing reported today, warning of the effect this is having on internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said several of the aid agencies have become victims of banditry lately, with more than 120 separate incidents reported against such organizations reported since the start of the year. An estimated 37,000 IDPs living in Dogdore and Ade could be without health care, food assistance, water and sanitation services unless the security situation improves, according to OCHA. Heavy rainfall in eastern Chad has also damaged roads and limited aid workers' access to people in need, exacerbating... [read full story]