Two Kenyan workers of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) who were taken hostage on March 8 by armed militia in Kiechkuon, southern Sudan, were released on March 30 and handed over to Kenya’s Ambassador in Sudan, Edward Kabwisa. Their release followed a request from Kenyan President, Daniel arap Moi, to Sudanese President Omar el-Beshir during a two-day visit to Khartoum.

Two ADRA workers are still being held in Khartoum; Peter Lujana, a Sudanese national who has lived 15 years in Kenya, and Joy Santuke, a Ugandan mother of four. During the attack on ADRA’s compound, Lujana was injured and a woman and young girl from a nearby village were killed. As all four workers were operating legally in southern Sudan, ADRA is still unclear as to the possible reason for their continued detention.

No ADRA or United Nations (U.N.) officials have yet had access to the two remaining detainees since they were brought to Khartoum by Sudanese army officials on March 16.  Shortly after the abduction on March 8, the U.N. secretary-general, Kofi Annan, personally wrote to the president of Sudan requesting the release of the ADRA workers.

ADRA operates in southern Sudan as a member of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), a consortium of U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations, coordinated by the U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator (OCHA). OCHA made a verbal statement to the Sudanese government on March 24 restating their position: “The Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator wishes to confirm to the Ministry the United Nations’ position that the presence of the four ADRA personnel at Kiechkuon was and is consistent with the practice of the agreements and plans of action of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), to which the Government of Sudan is a party. The Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator also wishes to confirm that the movement of the four ADRA personnel in UN/OLS aircraft is fully consistent with the information on flight movements provided to the Government on a regular monthly basis.”

ADRA officials say they are encouraged by the level of assistance received from the U.N. secretary-general, OLS partners, the president of Kenya, and other government officials in their efforts to free the four ADRA workers. 

“I’m encouraged by the bona fide gesture of the Sudanese government in releasing our two Kenyan workers,” said Ralph Watts Jr., ADRA president. “As an international non-governmental organization, ADRA recognizes that its workers sometimes operate in dangerous situations, but when agreements have been reached by government authorities to protect and facilitate the movements of humanitarian staff, we expect them to be honored.”

ADRA was the first non-governmental organization to establish operations in Luakpiny District, in the Upper Nile province of southern Sudan. The agency’s integrated emergency health and food assistance programs there include primary health care, food security, and veterinary health care programs. ADRA has operated in southern Sudan since 1984 and, as a member of OLS, its programs currently reach more than 200,000 people. The agency has also run integrated programs in northern Sudan since 1983 in collaboration with, and with the full support of the Sudanese government.