<\/p>
According to the latest update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 15 June 2014, the cumulative number of verified Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Darfur who have been displaced since January 2014 and have yet to return to their areas of origin is 264,528<\/strong>. This figure is in addition to the estimated number of over 2 million people who, at the end of 2013, have been living in longer term displacement. It is not possible to determine retroactively the number of visits that have occurred over the past two years but DFID staff do travel regularly to Darfur. To date in 2014, there have been a total of six separate visits with a total of eight DFID staff participating, including two by the Head of DFID Sudan.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> DFID has provided support to a wide range of development and humanitarian organisations working in Darfur both directly and through different joint funds such as the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) and the Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund (DCPSF). Direct funds go to organisations including the following: the World Food Programme, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision Sudan, Oxfam America, Norwegian Church Aid Sudan and United Methodist Committee on Relief. Organisations getting funding through the joint funds include agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations, International Organisations, International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and National Non-Governmental Organisations (NNGOs).<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2539", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Northover"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Northover"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-19T13:59:38.5977595Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sudan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government how many displaced people they estimate to be in Darfur, Sudan; how many visits Department for International Development staff have paid to Darfur in the last two years; and which organisations they support there.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Earl of Sandwich"}
], "uin" : "HL248"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/60541", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/60541/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Minister for Africa, my Hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), wrote to Professor Ibrahim Ghandour, adviser to the Sudanese President, urging al-Sadiq al-Mahdi's release. The Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Ms Featherstone), also raised this issue with the Foreign Minister of Sudan on 20 May. Following the arrest, the British Embassy in Khartoum issued a statement expressing our concerns and highlighting that such actions undermine the President of Sudan's initiative for a National Dialogue. We have made clear that the process for National Dialogue needs to be inclusive and this can only be achieved if senior political and community figures are able to speak freely.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sudan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Sudan regarding the arrest of the National Umma Party leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/60542", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/60542/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Freedom of expression and an independent media are vital components of a genuinely open and transparent National Dialogue process. Our Embassy in Khartoum regularly raises this in discussions with the Sudanese Authorities, and jointly with the British Council is funding the Thompson Foundation programme to build capacity for Sudanese journalism. Examples include media training and a sponsored visit to London by Sudanese newspaper editors. During his visit to Sudan in January the Minister for Africa, my Hon Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), met Sudanese journalists and editors and stressed to senior members of the Sudanese government the importance of open democratic space and respect for fundamental freedoms.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sudan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts they have made to support press freedoms in Sudan; and what role they consider such freedoms can play in the promotion of the National Dialogue process.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58561", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58561/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I am appalled at the death sentence given to Meriam Ibrahim, and her continued imprisonment. Immediately following her trial, the Minister for Africa, my Hon. Friend, the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), issued a statement describing her conviction as barbaric and calling upon the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion and international human rights laws as enshrined in its own constitution. The Chargé d'Affaires of the Sudanese Embassy in London was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 19 May at the request of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague). The Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Ms Featherstone), reiterated our demand with the Sudanese Foreign Minister when she met him on 20 May. Our Embassy in Khartoum attended Meriam Ibrahim's trial, continues to press the Sudanese authorities for her release and is in close contact with her defence team.<\/p> <\/p> The UK opposes the death sentence in all circumstances. We are calling on the Sudanese government to undertake a comprehensive review of its penal code to ensure its laws reflect both its constitution and international human rights obligations, and the values and compassion of the Sudanese people.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-19T11:59:07.2734416Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sudan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Sudan about policies involving the death sentence for women who change their religion.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/248", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Jones of Cheltenham"}
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