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March 13, 2009

Doctors Without Borders Withdraws Remaining Darfur Aid Workers After Kidnapping
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The humanitarian group Doctors Without Border says it’s begun
withdrawing remaining workers in Darfur after the kidnapping of three
staff members. Three of the group’s five field operations had remained
active despite the Sudanese government’s expulsion of aid workers
following the International Criminal Court indictment of Sudanese
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir last week. But Doctors Without Borders
director Christopher Stokes said a new round of kidnappings have forced
its complete withdrawal.

Christopher Stokes: ‘’As a consequence of this kidnapping, given the
deteriorating security conditions in Darfur, the remaining MSF sections,
knowing that two Medecins Sans Frontieres sections had been expelled
last week, but the remaining three—Medecins Sans Frontieres Belgium,
Switzerland and Spain—who had had full authorization to continue working
providing life-saving assistance, have also decided to withdraw their
teams, not because they’ve been expelled, but because of the security
conditions for the moment are so unclear and don’t allow us to remain in
the field.’’



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