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Letter to Save the Children-UK from Church World Service
December 21, 2004
Mr. Mike Aaronson
Director General
Mr. Ken Caldwell
Director of International Operations
Save the Children-UK
17 Grove Lane
London SE5 8RD
United Kingdom
Dear Mr. Caldwell,
I have learned with great sadness about the circumstances that have led to Save the Children UK withdrawing its operations from Western Sudanese region of Darfur. As the CEO of a global humanitarian agency, I can well appreciate all the implications associated with the tragic loss of staff and with withdrawing of such a significant operation as you have in Darfur.
Permit me to take this opportunity to ask you to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of your staff who have so tragically died in the service of human need: Abhakar el Tayeb, Yacoub Abdelnabi Ahmed, Rafe Bullick and Issa Tayeb. Although they are not known to us in person, we do feel the pain of their families and colleagues. They certainly belong to the family of humanitarian aid agencies and, though we are deeply saddened by their untimely death, we nevertheless salute our kindred for having paid the supreme sacrifice.
These are difficult, dangerous and uncertain days for aid agencies and other NGOs. I hope that the challenges we face will bring this community of compassion and hope into closer collaboration. We must find ways to support one another as we encounter unexpected circumstances and tragedies.
Sincerely yours,
John L. McCullough
Executive Director & CEO
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