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Bombs Drop Near World Vision Feeding Center
No casualties reported in southern Sudan bombing. Still unclear if World Vision was directly targeted.
A Government of Sudan military airplane dropped six bombs near one of World Vision's emergency nutritional feeding centers in southern Sudan on the morning of June 11.
The shellings struck without warning just 200 meters from World Vision's nutritional feeding center in Panacier. The center is one of three such World Vision feeding centers opened in recent months to assist the estimated 500,000 people in southern Sudan who are in immediate danger of starvation due to prolonged drought and a recent surge in the 15-year civil war. Health staff at the Panacier center care for more than 1,000 malnourished children, elderly, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
The World Vision staff at the center had just finished preparing the morning's protein-rich porridge when the bomb blasts shook the area. They quickly distributed the porridge then extinguished their cooking fires, for fear of attracting additional bombing from the aircraft, which continued to circle the area until late in the afternoon.
World Vision Sudan program director Bruce Menser said the bombing was a reminder of the difficult situation that humanitarian workers face in this region beset by conflict. "At best, this bombing was recklessness on the part of the Government of Sudan; at worst, it was a deliberate attempt to harm hundreds of people [at the feeding center] who are already on the verge of death."
Staff, local leaders, and United Nations security officers are assessing the situation and whether or not the center was directly targeted. The assessment will help determine if it is safe to carry on work at the Panacier center or whether a temporary or permanent relocation of the life-saving work is required.
India/Pakistan Tensions Hurt Poor
"They say when the elephants dance, ants get crushed." This is how Jayakumar Christian, associate director, World Vision India North Zone, described the results of India and Pakistan's recent nuclear testing.
The arms race between these two countries has received condemnation the world over and sweeping economic sanctions from many Western countries and Japan. We at World Vision pray for a quick resolution and an end to the sanctions, which will likely further crush the poor in these two countries.
Two World Vision projects in India have been affected by cuts in aid; even some child sponsors have canceled their support. "Our challenge is to help sponsors see that sanctions strike the poor the hardest," emphasizes Dr. Christian.
A program to research breast feeding and maternal care has been put on hold. The $175,000 program was funded by USAID in partnership with Academy for Education and Development. Another USAID-funded program for child survival is now in limbo. World Vision India is in negotiations with the United States Embassy in New Delhi to re-classify these projects as humanitarian aid, given the circumstances, which would make the programs unaffected by sanctions.
World Vision has 420 projects in India requiring a budget of approximately $10 million. Due to security reasons, World Vision has not provided relief and development assistance in Pakistan during the past six years.
Food to North Korea
In late May, World Vision delivered 1,100 tons of maize to a remote region of North Korea.
More than 116,000 youth are benefiting from this shipment, which is the first of several larger shipments scheduled for the coming months.
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