ACT-Caritas interview
Sudan 1606
Seeing Darfur first-hand



The ineffectiveness of the May Darfur Peace Agreement, the diplomatic impasse between the U.N. Security Council and the Government of Sudan over U.N. peacekeeping troops, as well as deteriorating relations between Sudan and the United States have deepened the political crisis and prolonged human suffering in Darfur as civilians continue to be killed and displaced. Humanitarian relief work continues to be restricted by fighting.


Denis Viénot Justin Kilcullen
Denis Viénot, president of Caritas Internationalis, and Justin Kilcullen, director of Trocaire (Caritas Ireland), recently visited the ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO), one of the largest NGO relief operations in the region.


What is the purpose of your visit?

DV – The aim of this visit to Darfur is to gain a real understanding of the situation on the ground and see DERO program activities so as to have a clear vision of the strategic planning process for the next five years. The visit will also enable me to think about the long-term cooperation of Caritas Internationalis in DERO, as well as how to more clearly develop the advocacy strategy. In addition to this, I will be able to understand the suffering of the people and thank the international and national personnel for their work to relieve that suffering.

JK – In Ireland, there is a lot of interest in Darfur. Two years ago, the Irish churches raised €7 million for Darfur in one day. It is important to feed back to people what has been achieved with their money, as well as inform them about the current situation. There is also a fair amount of political interest in Darfur, and so there is a good opportunity to brief the minister of Foreign Affairs about the situation.

As this is your first visit to Darfur, what was your initial impression when you arrived in Darfur?

DV – On arrival at Nyala airport, there were two military helicopters belonging to the Government of Sudan on one side of my plane and white AU [African Union] helicopters on the other. I was looking for evidence of a military presence, and I got it before I even stepped off the plane.

JK – In both Nyala and Zalingei towns, the low-slung, brown, dusty streets and houses gave me a true sense that this is part of North Africa and the desert – very different to other parts of Africa where I have spent time over the past 20 years. This is not only the setting, but also the context for a crisis that is quite unique.

What has been the most useful part of your trip and why?

DV – I have two answers: As an image and in terms of understanding. There are two faces - two people I met in one of the camps in Zalingei. One face is that of a woman I met in a clinic run by ACT-Caritas. The woman had been attacked and wounded a few days earlier whilst she was in the bush. For me, she is a symbol of what I have heard about people going outside of the camps and being attacked by armed militias. The second is the face of a sheikh who spoke with me for half an hour. He told me the story of his tribe; how his tribe had been attacked in the 1970s and more recently by Janjaweed (armed Arab militias) supported by government helicopter gunships. Thanks to this sheikh, I saw a human face to a political problem. Moreover, I was able to gain an understanding of something I had not [understood] so well: the issue of protection. I realised that the presence of the U.N., non-governmental organisations (NGOs) - including DERO - participates in the protection of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) as we are witnesses.

JK – I had heard about how difficult it is to work in Darfur, but during this trip I encountered the reality facing ACT-Caritas staff, both internationals and local staff, in towns such as Zalingei. It is not simply a question of westerners missing their luxuries. There are so many African international staff who are totally committed to serving the people of Darfur in extreme circumstances. The climate is harsh, the housing rudimentary, insecurity high and any social life non-existent. The social highlight of the week was a game of volleyball. It is understandable that there is a high turnover of staff. If staff can stay for six months, then that is wonderful.

What have you learnt during this trip, and what will it make you do differently?

DV – I have learnt many things. I have a new understanding of the relationship between tribes. Tribes are very much interlinked. They are trading with each other, which makes any analysis of the political situation more complex than I had thought. In terms of the DERO program, I witnessed a strong coherence and the high quality of local staff. I will now look at the advocacy strategy in a different manner and try to push this issue within the ACT-Caritas federation.

JK – My response is similar, I think that advocacy is essential and that it is very important to understand the complexity of the situation today. Some people we met during this visit said that two months ago, they would have said something different in answer to some of our questions, so there is a great need to be in touch with the ever-changing situation and adjust our advocacy accordingly. We have a great strength in terms of advocacy due to our intense presence on the ground. Staff can feed through insights to the advocacy team, which can in turn use the information to influence decision makers at home without jeopardising the program in Darfur.

What do you think are the biggest challenges for Darfur and DERO?

DV – For both Darfur and DERO, for the population and for staff, the major challenge is security. It is not easy to understand the security situation, and the program is thus volatile and has to be able to evolve accordingly.

JK – Trying to plan in such an uncertain situation is not easy. Any strategic plan requires in-built flexibility because in six months, the situation could be completely different. This uncertainty is not just facing DERO, but the commander of the African Union in Zalingei, and other International NGOs also sense the uncertainty. This is destabilising, and it is not easy to keep going.

What has impressed you the most?

DV – I am not a doctor, but further to my consultations with health staff in DERO, the health situation in the camps is good, and this is not something often seen in IDP camps. Children attending school are healthy. However, the disparity between the health program in camps and that in host communities could create tension.

What one thing do you most want people to know about DERO or Darfur?

JK – I have been impressed at the way Muslims and Christians, Westerners and Africans are collaborating here for the sake of the people who are suffering as a result of the conflict. This is very different to the image of Christian-Muslim relations that are currently grabbing the headlines. The ordinary people are quite happy to get on with each other. I have been impressed by the number of Muslim staff in DERO who are all comfortable with us, and us with them.

DV – I think that the complexity of the situation in Darfur has to be linked to the situation in southern Sudan. The situation in Darfur needs to be put into the greater context of Sudan. The issue of a central government and the periphery is of primary importance to understanding the crises in Sudan.

Action by Churches Together International (ACT) and Caritas Internationalis (CI) are working together in a joint response to the Darfur crisis.

ACT International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations present in 200 countries and territories.