Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank both organisations for their contributions. I now have a clear understanding of the situation from the maps provided. To a layperson, it is a complicated area. As an Irish citizen, I felt the Sudanese issue was portrayed on television and radio as being resolved, in that 99% of people in South Sudan agreed in a plebiscite to declare independence. I was mystified by people declaring their independence when borders have not yet been defined. It is a criticism of the international community, which progressed the independence programme, that people were voting to create a country when the borders were not yet defined. I presume it is within the border region that humanitarian difficulties arise. The reason for this is oil, the lack of borders and the body of men and women from the region described as the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, SPLM-N. According to the maps, they control much of the area in the mountains being strafed by Sudanese jets. To what extent is this a continuing war between Sudan and the forces of the militias operating in south Kordofan? Is there an up-to-date position on the ongoing talks in Addis Ababa between the presidents to alleviate the problems? Apparently the issues are border demarcation, creating a safe demilitarised zone, citizenship rights and the allocation of Sudan's national debt.

I praise people who move into such terribly dangerous arenas. The figures in the refugee camps are stark, with 55,000 refugees in the Yida camp. Those of us in the West, who live in houses, find it hard to imagine 55,000 people living under canvas in very poor terrain, which is prone to flooding. There are also other camps with similar problems.

As a country, we have put €30 million into the Sudanese region. Recently, we have been giving smaller sums for particular projects. As a small country with economic difficulties, we should be applauded for the work we are doing.

Often when one meet delegations such as these, one almost feels panic that people will die unless we resolve complex problems. Along with Médecins Sans Frontiéres and Trócaire, who else is out there? Presumably, they are not the only humanitarian groups in the region. Am I right in presuming there are thousands of other volunteers and agencies from around the world, from the United Nations to the African Union? Is it a particularly western activity to provide aid? Do very profitable and economically viable African nations have agencies like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Trócaire or whatever? Are we talking in a vacuum? Is there a wider picture at which we must look of other countries doing as much if not more than what we do as a tiny little island country in economic decline?