A PLANE carrying emergency food and equipment left Europe yesterday for Sudan, where thousands remain in the grip of a humanitarian crisis. Six tonnes of food, tents and plastic sheeting were on the flight bound for Nyala in southern Darfur where an estimated 1.2 million people have been made homeless by fighting and a wider campaign of looting, killing and rape by militia gangs. Four Toyota vehicles and temporary warehouses were also on board the aircraft which left Oslo. The aid plane was jointly organised and funded by the UK-based Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod) and Norwegian Church Aid. A second plane will leave for the east African country on Friday. Cafod staff in Sudan will work around the clock to deliver the aid to villages in Darfur before the rainy season starts early next month. In a separate effort, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (Sciaf), part of an international network of Christian aid groups, has launched its own appeal to raise money for the people of Sudan. Along with its partners, Sciaf hope to raise $4m, over 18-months, to help those who have fled attacks by armed militia. Paul Chitnis, chief executive of Sciaf, said: "We've been involved in Sudan for a long time, and this is just the latest in decades of tragedy in what is literally the poorest part of the world. With this appeal, we are offering people the chance to support our work." Sciaf is also urging Scots to put pressure on the government, as part of the international community, to respond to the crisis. Mr Chitnis added: "Unless the international community responds very quickly, many people in Sudan will die. The rainy season is almost upon them. This makes it extremely difficult to access the communities because the very primitive roads turn to bogs." Sciaf has already committed £30,000 to help meet the most immediate needs of water, sanitation and food in refugee camps but it says that more is needed. Martha Clarke, spokeswoman for Cafod, agreed it was vital that aid agencies moved quickly to distribute aid before the weather deteriorates. Jan Egeland, the UN's humanitarian chief, has called Darfur the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. Last week, Egeland said the international community had been very late in responding to the conflict in Darfur, where thousands have been killed in fighting between Arab militias and the black African population since February 2003. Hilary Benn, the international development secretary, said the world must act now to avoid a repeat of the genocide in Rwanda happening in Darfur. He told ITV1's Jonathan Dimbleby programme yesterday: "The international community has no time to lose to do the things that are required in terms of money, humanitarian assistance, political pressure, help to people in need to bring their suffering to an end." Mr Benn said Sudan must rein in the militias, and called on more countries to contribute aid. Closer to home, campaigners yesterday gathered in Glasgow and Edinburgh to support World Refugee Day, organised by Amnesty International. The charity said its demonstrations and events were intended to raise awareness of the plight of the world's refugees.
