2011 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

This year Air Serv International has facilitated vital aviation support for humanitarians serving in the African countries of Chad and South Sudan. International aid activities in this region are in response to the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people caught in the middle of the conflict between northern and southern Sudan, as well as conflicts between Chadian and Sudanese rebel groups for more than 30 years.

Chad

Many of the Sudanese victims fled across the western Sudan border into Chad. Currently 285,000 refugees reside in twelve camps established by the United Nations. Over 160,000 Chadians have been internally displaced fleeing the many crimes perpetrated against them by rebel soldiers, and these too require help with the very basics of aid relief: food, water and shelter.

Sub-Saharan Chad has extremely poor road access, made worse several months each year by rainy season flooding. Those traveling by vehicle can suddenly find themselves in a hijack, carjack, or kidnap situation - a very real and present danger for those traveling as little as 20 miles between villages. Therefore flying is by far the safest and most effective logistical solution for humanitarians operating in this troubled part of the world, and flying literally saves lives. For those delivering aid, services and life-saving supplies, Air Serv's flights are absolutely essential in ensuring their missions are successful and timely.

Currently, Air Serv operates two fixed-wing aircraft out of Abeche, Chad: a 19-passenger DeHavilland Twin Otter and a 9-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan. In addition to passenger and cargo transport, Air Serv provides medical evacuations to hundreds of refugees and displaced Chadians. Air Serv is also on standby, 24/7, to provide evacuations in the event of insecurity (i.e., rebel activity) in the area.

Funding for these operations is provided by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

South Sudan

In 2010 elections were held in South Sudan, and an Independence Referendum - held in January 2011 - determined that southern Sudanese did indeed wish to separate from Khartoum's central government in the north. In April 2011 a separate referendum vote was scheduled for Abeyi, a city bordering between the north and south, to decide whether it would align with the north or the south. While much of the existing violence in Sudan centers on political and ethnic factors, South Sudan's wealth of natural resources - especially petroleum - is thought to be the most significant factor in Khartoum's refusal to allow the south a viable independence. Abyei is in the Jonglei region, the seat of southern Sudan's oil industry, and so it was determined that the battle for 'custody' over this valuable area should be handled through a separate referendum.

For a voting process such as this to be successful, coordinators of the effort soon realized that they must have a highly flexible and dependable aviation support team. One coordinator, the US-based NGO International Foundation for Electoral Systems, contacted Air Serv International due to our ability to deploy quickly and provide a unique and user-friendly aviation service in tough terrains. Air travel in South Sudan, while improved over the past five years, still requires up-to-the-minute status assessments and coordination concerning security issues and landing safety.

Air Serv arrived in Juba on November 5, 2010, and quickly helped facilitate the movements of the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau (SSRB), the local commission tasked with getting voters registered, establishing functioning voting stations and providing oversight for the actual vote. Already three months behind, Air Serv enabled the SSRB to fly into remote areas and hold time-driven meetings with local and tribal leaders while enlisting their support, one town at a time.

When the Independence Referendum vote was actually launched on time in the second week of January, it was with great satisfaction that Air Serv was able to be part of this new country's history. Air Serv's team on the ground was commended repeatedly for their aviation expertise, their ability to keep their professional 'cool' at all times, and their humanitarian hearts. Here's an example:

This program continued through the end of March. Partial funding was provided through a USAID sub-contract. An Annenberg Foundation grant also enabled Air Serv to provide seamless air support by assisting with aircraft replacements during scheduled maintenance work on the program's Grand Caravan.