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The UN confirmed as much during a press conference yesterday: “Concerning major demonstrations planned during the General Assembly session to protest inadequate United Nations support for civilians in Darfur, Mr. Le Roy [UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations] said the protests were a reminder that the Darfur crisis was not over. Despite improvements since 2003, including a round-the-clock United Nations presence in the internally displaced persons camps, the situation was still unstable, characterized by violence and 2.5 million people living in camps, and it could deteriorate rapidly. United Nations authorities continued to push for an inclusive peace agreement in Darfur.” “Ms. Malcorra [Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Field Support] said 75 percent of the military component and 63 per cent of the police component of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) had been deployed. Since last year, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support had removed logistical and supply roadblocks and it was now poised to send the remaining requisite troops. It aimed to have 92 per cent deployment of UNAMID by year’s end, taking into account the current supply constraints of some troop-contributing and police-contributing countries. Still, at 92 per cent capacity, key enablers such as helicopters and transport companies would still be missing.” “In terms of the number of United Nations helicopters in Darfur, she said the Organization had civilian helicopters on the ground, but no military ones. It planned to soon deploy five helicopters from Ethiopia, but it had not received any more pledges for such equipment for Darfur nor for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad.” Read the full press conference summary here: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7VX399?OpenDocument