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Save the Children Mourns Loss of Two Colleagues
Westport, Conn. (May 2, 2008) — Pascal Marlinge, 49, Save the Children UK's country director in Chad, was shot and killed Thursday, May 1, while traveling on a road near the Sudanese border.
A day earlier, in a separate incident, a Save the Children USA employee was killed during a robbery at its truck compound in Geneina, West Darfur.
Mr. Marlinge, a French national, was in a three-car convoy with a Save the Children driver and two UNICEF vehicles. They were driving from Farchana to Adre, close to the Sudanese border. At about 10:15 a.m. local time, the convoy was stopped by a group of armed men. A shot or shots were fired and Mr. Marlinge was killed. The four other humanitarian workers were unhurt.
Mr. Marlinge leaves behind a wife and two teenage daughters, both living in France. Save the Children UK is supporting them at this time.
A Save the Children UK team is on its way to Chad and expected to arrive in the next 24 hours to assist with the investigation. All work in Chad has been suspended until further notice.
Save the Children UK Chief Executive Jasmine Whitbread said: "Our thoughts are with Pascal's family at this time. Staff are profoundly shocked and upset. Pascal was loved and respected by all colleagues who have worked with him."
On Wednesday, April 30, Abdullah Hamid, a Save the Children USA employee, was killed during a robbery. The incident took place at around 4 a.m. on April 29, when three armed men gained entry into the agency's truck compound. Mr. Hamid was shot multiple times before the assailants fled the compound in a Save the Children vehicle.
"Our deepest condolences go out to Abdullah's family and his colleagues in West Darfur," said Halane Hussein, country director for Save the Children's operations in Sudan. "Abdullah was a very valued member of our Save the Children staff. He had worked for us for four years.
"We remain quite concerned for the safety of all our staff in Geneina and West Darfur who are exposed to these persistent threats," he said. "We are fully cooperating with authorities, who are investigating the crime."
