By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 8 -- The day before the Sudan and South Sudan consultations of the UN Security Council, the UN's deputy humanitarian chief John Ging stood in front of the Council. Inner City Press asked him about aid access into Southern Kordofan.
"The problem is we don't have access, and what are we going to do about that," Ging answered. He and not Valerie Amos will brief the Council on the failed Tripartite Agreement.
Ging continued, "I hope this generates the realization that despite everyone's best efforts for so long, without finger pointing we have no access. And as a result of that, there are people dying, suffering needlessly, and fleeing. What's our answer to this?"
So far, the UN and Security Council have no answers. Later on January 7, Inner City Press asked Sudan's Permanent Representative to the UN Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman about Kordofan. He blamed the lack of aid on the rebels, who he said have stepped out their attacks on Kadugli and elsewhere.
Inner City Press asked Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman about the talks between Presidents Omar al Bashir and Salva Kiir in Addis Ababa. He said that "protocols" were agreed to, such as ensuring the the SPLM and SPLM-North truly disengage.
What will happen on Abyei is not at all clear, and for that reason the biweekly Security Council sessions on Sudan and South Sudan have lower and lower key, more and more newsless.
Inner City Press suggested that to Ging, that is there is no output or "product" from the January 8 consultations, there will be no Council message on the humanitarian issues.
"We see a positive dynamic," Ging replied, "but at the same time we have to look at the plight of the people. That's our rhetorical question." Rhetorical indeed. Watch this site.
