Brussels, 06/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Upon returning from a humanitarian mission in Mali and in the Mbera refugee camp in Mauritania, Michèle Striffler (EPP, France), who is permanent rapporteur for humanitarian aid at the European Parliament, sounded the alarm by testifying, on Thursday 6 June, to the severity of the humanitarian crisis in northern Mali. Striffler said: “The alarming humanitarian situation in northern Mali has been overshadowed by the presidential elections planned for 28 July 2013, the priority for the government and for the international community. Furthermore, the country's transitional context prevents any effective humanitarian response. I regret to say that media interest is solely focused on the political and military situation. Food supplies are becoming scarcer in the northern part of the country but also in the rest of the country. The number of people needing immediate food aid is estimated at 1.4 million. The lean season, which has just begun, looks poor. The situation to come is alarming and raises fears of high and acute malnutrition, as well as the spread of epidemics such as cholera”. (our translation throughout).
During her assignment, Striffler spoke with the humanitarian workers on the ground and the Malian authorities, and also met with refugees and internally displaced persons. In her view, the northern part of the country remains a region of conflict where terrorists, jihadists and drug traffickers are constantly present. Access to the population affected by the crisis is also limited by banditry in the absence of government security forces in most of the northern localities. The provision of basic social services continues to be mainly ensured by humanitarian workers. It is urgent to restore the public services as quickly as possible in the northern regions as well as access to water and electricity. “The mandate of the United Nations integrated stabilisation force of 12,640 people, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), comprises support for humanitarian action. It is imperative for this multidimensional force to respect neutrality, impartiality and the independence of humanitarian players, in order to ensure access to the vulnerable populations as well as the safety of humanitarian workers”, Striffler warned.
Voicing considerable concern about the precariousness of the situation and the tension in the Mbera refugee camp, where over 74,000 people are crammed together, Striffler invited the Mauritanian authorities and the international community to focus their full attention on how the situation develops in that camp. (AN/transl: jl).