Oxfam steps up Darfur operations

About a million people have fled the fighting in Darfur

The aid agency Oxfam says it is gravely concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region and is stepping up its efforts to help.

Oxfam welcomed Khartoum's decision to ease visa restrictions and said it would send an extra 15 expert staff.

But it said they would need to be there for at least three months to improve the health of displaced people.

Some one million people have fled Darfur, where pro-government militias are accused of "ethnic cleansing".

Black Africans in the region say the Arab "janjaweed" militias are chasing them from their homes and are working with government forces.

Since the conflict in Darfur began in February 2003, some 130,000 people have fled to neighbouring Chad, while an estimated 900,000 are displaced within Sudan.

Food scarce

"Oxfam is now able to expand its humanitarian relief activities in Darfur, western Sudan, as visas have finally been issued for an additional 15 expert humanitarian staff," said Oxfam regional director Caroline Nursey.

"I hope this new move will mean that our water engineers can finally get to the Darfur region and to remote communities where people need urgent help," she said.

"However, access must be sustained over the next three months and beyond if we are to significantly improve the health of thousands of displaced people and prevent outbreaks of disease."

Oxfam said food stocks were depleting fast and access to drinking water was limited, while makeshift shelters were often flimsy and unable to withstand rain.

On Thursday, Sudan said it would scrap the need for aid workers to have special permits to enter Darfur.

It said embassies would issue standard visas to aid workers within 48 hours.