Catholic Relief Services resumes food aid in Sudan

Khartoum, Sudan, Mar 29, 2011 / 17:43 pm

Catholic Relief Services announced that it has been allowed resume food distribution in Sudan's West Darfur state after the government previously banned the group's efforts.

“We are working with the local government to ensure that food distributions begin immediately,” read the organization's March 28 statement.

The agency said it was “pleased” to resume its food operations – which aids 500,000 people in the country – after the Sudanese government told the relief organization it would have to close its program at the end of March due to security concerns.

Government officials also accused the the agency of distributing Bibles and suspended its other humanitarian operations in January. Catholic Relief Services has denied this claim.

Kim Pozniak, spokeswoman for the group's Sub-Saharan Africa office, was not able to provide information on why the food aid program was allowed to resume or whether or not the agency had been cleared of the Bible distribution charges. 

Pozniak told CNA on March 29 that Catholic Relief Services would not be issuing additional commentary on the situation at this time.