CRS Sudan Emergency Representative Returns From Darfur Assessment, Available for Interviews

June 27, 2005, Baltimore, MD—Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Assistant Regional Representative for the Sudan Emergency, Greg Elder, returned this week from a three-week assessment of security, humanitarian conditions and relief operations in West Darfur, Sudan, and is available for interviews.

From June 1 – June 24, Mr. Elder visited camps hosting tens of thousands of internally displaced Sudanese in areas surrounding El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, and met with CRS beneficiaries, aid workers, and local political and religious leadership to discuss major issues of concern. He returned to CRS’ Baltimore headquarters at the same time as the agency’s Sudan-based country directors to share assessments with the emergency program directors and executive staff.

During his visit, Mr. Elder also witnessed thousands of Sudanese refugees crossing back into Sudan from eastern Chad as they were attempting to return home.

To interview Mr. Elder, contact Caroline Brennan at 410-951-7408 or cbrennan@crs.org. Photos are available.

CRS Efforts in Darfur
CRS is supporting as many 150,000 people in West Darfur through the provision of shelter materials, access to clean water, food and essential living items, including cooking utensils, soap, blankets, mats, buckets and water cans. CRS is also building schools and latrines throughout dozens of camps and host communities in the region, and providing resources for teacher trainings and educational materials. CRS extends its support to populations around the towns of Sirba, Seleia, Kulbus who are nomadic, but whose routes have been interrupted due to the fighting and insecurity along the Chadian border.

CRS has been working in Sudan since 1971, and is one of the largest humanitarian agencies operating across the southern region of the country. In the South, CRS currently is leading major agricultural, development and refugee “Homeward Bound” return projects following January’s signing of a peace agreement ending the 21-year civil war between northern and southern Sudan. CRS established operations in Darfur and eastern Chad last year following the outbreak of the emergency.

Press Contact:
Caroline Brennan
CRS Communications Associate, sub-Saharan Africa
Tel: 410-951-7408
E-mail: cbrennan@crs.org
http://www.catholicrelief.org/

Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian relief and development agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS provides assistance to people in 99 countries and territories on the basis of need, regardless of race, creed, or nationality.