EASTERN SUDAN :

-PDSRSG for Political Affairs Tayé Zerihoun left today Khartoum to Asmara for a one day visit to meet with the Eastern Front (the Beja Congress and the Free Lions). The objective of the visit is to follow up on prior discussions with the Front and the GoS on holding "talks about the talks" between the parties. UNMIS is facilitating this process at the request of the parties. In prior discussions the two parties agreed to hold such talks.

DARFUR :

-PDSRSG Tayé Zerihoun will be in the Chadian Capital N'Djamena on 8 and 9 September to attend the 8 th session of the AU Joint Ceasefire Commission (established by virtue of the Ceasefire Agreement of 8 April 2004 between the GoS and the Darfur rebel groups SLM/A and JEM).

MILITARY UPDATE:

Strength : Deployment of Military Observers, Protection Force elements and Enabling Units is in progress and as of now, there are 380 military personnel in Khartoum , 730 in Juba , 14 in Wau, 546 in Malakal, 227 in Kadugli, 137 in Damazin, 10 in Abyei and 268 in Kassala. There are total of 2302 personnel in the mission area including 147 military observers.

Arrival . 50 military personnel from Zambia , earmarked for Sector Six Abyei, will arrive in the mission area in the second week of September. In the mean time, another flight of Pakistani Engineers and Force Protection elements comprising 99 personnel arrived at El-Obeid on 05 September 05.

National Monitors . Both SAF and SPLA have assured CJMC that they will provide national monitors, who as per CPA, will form part of Observer Teams along with military observers. Those National Monitors, who have already reported are being verified by the respective Sector Headquarters. The total number of National Monitors needed is 240 (120 from each party). This include the monitoring teams, the representatives at the AJMCs and the representatives at the CJMC.

Preparation of Torrit Team Site . 30 personnel from Bangladesh Engineers have been despatched to Torrit, Juba for construction of Team Site location at Torrit.

Anti- Malaria Campaign . Redeployment and Coordination Headquarters, Kassala, provided support to WHO for Anti – Malaria Campaign, including nine volunteer soldiers and six vehicles Anti – mosquito spray will be carried out for one month, starting from 30 August 05, in Kassala town.

SPLA Troops in Khartoum . 993 SPLA troops have arrived in Khartoum from Kassala on 04 September 05. These troops will be part of Independent New Sudan Brigade. Its strength will be equally shared by both SAF and SPLA forces and will be located in Khartoum .

SECURITY:

Darfur :

- The security situation in the Darfurs remains volatile with many reports on continuing banditry, alleged attacks on villages and looting and reports on fighting around the Jabal Moon area (West and north Darfur ). The situation in West Darfur is of particular concern following a series of attacks on INGO convoys. Overall, there have been at least 10 serious attacks on humanitarian workers in the past 30 days, including two attacks by armed men that took place on 1 September. The first attack was on an INGOs convoy consisting of 7 vehicles that was traveling to Geneina via Masteri, totaling 21 staff (two of them international). The bandits took cash, cameras and other personal belongings and ripped out all VHF communication equipment. The bandits then beat the staff members with sticks and rifles while they were lying on the ground. Seventeen persons suffered injuries such as blunt trauma, head injury with stitches, back injuries, haematoma on the scalp, etc. The AU has commenced intensive patrolling activities in the general area of the ambush. The second attack was on an INGO convoy consisting of three vehicles (with the drivers only) was traveling from Mornei to Geneina when it was attacked by nine armed men with covered faces 21 km from Geneina. The attackers stole the drivers' personal belongings as well as one VHF radio. The INGO staff reached Geneina safely later that afternoon.

-The Deputy SRSG and Humanitarian Coordinator Manuel da Silva travelled to Geneina on Monday to discuss with the government, NGOs and the African Union ways to curtail theses numerous security violations that are seriously affecting humanitarian operations in West Darfur. An agreement was made with the African Union to increase security along the main routes and efforts are expected from government authorities to improve the operating environment for humanitarian work in the area.

South Sudan :

During last week, four attacks attributed to LRA have been reported, targeting isolated villages and remote areas near Torit. So far, no independent confirmation ha been received that the LRA is responsible for these attacks.

DEMINING:

The following information is provided by UNMAS in response to the questions asked last week on mines issues:

-Most of areas of South, Transitional areas, and some of East (Kassala/Red Sea) are still suspected as Landmine/UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) contaminated, and Darfur only as UXO-contaminated (we do not think there are serious landmine contamination there, but lots of UXOs). UNMAS and its partner agencies are busy working on identifying locations of contaminated areas in order to proceed to clearance activities, and as of 30 June 05, 646 Dangerous Areas (Landmine, UXO or mixed contaminated areas) have been identified, and 100 of them were cleared. But UNMAS would say this is very limited data against the size of "suspected" contamination (approx 30% of the country is suspected contaminated by landmine or unexploded bombs, ammunitions etc), but lack of capacity, size of the country, weather condition and difficulty of cross-line movement have been the inhibiting factors.

-In terms of the victim statistics, we have 1,789 casualties reported to our offices and recorded in the database. Due to lack of survey capacity as well as effective victim reporting system especially for South Sudan , the exact number of landmine/UXO victims remain unknown.

-With regard to the donor response, UNMAS have about 60% shortfall on funding against requested support. Funding requirements for 2005 is $82,633,630.

HUMANITARIAN

Food and Non-Food Items

-There have been no recent disruptions in the Jebel Marra area and humanitarian agencies are currently able to operate freely. OCHA is working to create further extend the permanent relief presence in the area. The INGOs has started food distribution emergency NFIs to returnees in four villages. A UNICEF team has conducted a mission to establish 4 new health posts in the area, as well as distribute mosquito nets and primary health care kits. Access to clean drinking water is also a priority sector for urgent intervention.

- WFP, HAC and partner agencies have distributed about 96 metric tons of food as part of its assistance to 7,689 people affected by floods in Damazine, in Blue Nile state. . In the areas worst affected by the floods in Almosales, Alsubeir and Almak locations, 2728 people received two months half rations. About 4961 beneficiaries in locations less affected by the floods, such as Alfardos, Alsowra and Alsowra Garb, are receiving a half-month ration.

-In the Red Sea state, WFP is concluding today the assessment of needs of the residents in the poorest neighborhoods of Port Sudan affected by the heavy storms that occurred last Wednesday August 31st.

WFP is also in the process of recovering 56,000 metric tons of food stored in nine of its warehouses in Port Sudan , which were also damaged by the storm. WFP hopes that the actual quantities of lost food will be relatively small.

Protection

UNICEF, the UN Child Protection Unit and UN Military Observers in Malakal and Juba have been working together to ensure regular monitoring of child soldiers during reconnaissance missions. The first joint mission with UNMIS child protection officers and military observers from the UN, SAF, and SPLA to gather more information on child soldiers is today ( Wed ) and joint missions will continue throughout the month ( Sept ). The joint missions will also communicate the urgency of the issue to local militia and armed forces commanders. UN Military Observers will also raise awareness among communities about the specific protection for children provided under the CPA.

- UNICEF held meetings with the Attorney General of South Darfur, the Head of the Judiciary of South Darfur, Ministry of Social and Cultural Affairs, the Head of Police Forces for South Darfur to prepare for high-level governmental workshops on 5 and 6 September. The workshops will cover Sudan 's legislation against international child rights standards, highlighting remaining gaps and identifying the way forward. It is set to be a landmark event, since it is the first time that all relevant sectors (judiciary, legislative, law enforcement, education, health, social welfare) will be spend two days discussing the situation of children in South Darfur from a child rights perspective.

33 AU Civilian Police were trained in Kutum ( North Darfur ), which proved to be useful in clarifying the police's mandate with respect to protection issues. In addition, 14 AU Civilian Police were provided child protection training in El Fasher on 1 September.

Return

-A recent mission by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has identified two priority corridors to begin repatriating Sudanese refugees the end of the year from the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Western Equatoria State in southwestern Sudan . When the repatriation process begins, some 10,000 Sudanese refugees would return from Mboki, CAR by air, mainly to Tambura. And some 5,000 Sudanese refugees in Rudu, DRC, would return by road via Aba and Laso, mainly to Yei.

-Humanitarian agencies are concerned about unsanitary conditions and erratic schedules of barges that are being used by hundreds of displaced families arriving in Kosti who wish to travel to areas such as Upper Nile , Bahr El Jebel , and Kordofan. The barges have no clean water or toilets, and often remain at Kosti for up to three weeks while waiting to be filled with commercial goods. Once the barges depart, travel can take up to four weeks until some destinations are reached. A 13 year-old IDP boy drowned on Thursday September 1 st when he fell off the barge transporting him and his family to Juba . The incident raises further concerns about the safety and appropriateness of the barges being used for return movements.

-Humanitarian agencies are encouraging the River Transport Corporation to increase the number of barges in operation and to operate according to more regular schedules. They are also urging greater investment in Kosti, where way stations are desperately needed for families waiting for barges.

Surge in IDP arrivals in Abyei town

A continuous flow of IDPs are arriving in Abyei, most of them in transit to southern destinations. Additional IDP families are expected to arrive in the coming days. Reports indicate that many are planning to stay in Abyei, which raises concerns about the capacity of the town to absorb such a number of new arrivals.

Update on Al Fateh area

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator and the DSRSG for Humanitarian Affairs and Development, Manuel Aranda Da Silva, visited the site over the weekend to evaluate the situation, including humanitarian needs and response.

On Thursday September 1st, CARE International and the Fellowship for African Relief distributed plastic sheeting and poles to some 750 families who have been relocated to the El Fateh 3 site, located some 40 km north of Omdurman . Further support to these relocated families has included the installation by UNICEF of two additional temporary water bladders, bringing the total to 5 (four of a 5,000-liter capacity and one of a 10,000-liter capacity), with water provided by government authorities. However, water supply and other significant humanitarian needs remain unmet. Information and basic services such as latrines, electricity, food and health care haven't been provided to the relocated by the authorities.