Hanne Eide Andersen (09.07.2015)
“Only a halt in fighting and violence can save the country from a major humanitarian catastrophe”, says acting Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council in South Sudan, Carina Hansen. Four years after independence, 2.2 million people have been displaced and the country is on the brink of a major humanitarian catastrophe.
Long lasting, internal conflicts have brought on one of the world's worst humanitarian crises in the young nation who got its independence 9 July 2011. Cholera outbreaks have been reported in Juba and Bor, and a third of the population of 11.7 million people are now facing severe food insecurity. In the worst conflict-affected areas as many as one out of three children are malnourished.
“The international humanitarian assistance must be sustained and increased to cover the needs of the displaced populations across South Sudan. The humanitarian appeal of USD1.6 billion is significantly under-funded at this critical time”, Carina Hansen points out.
Conflicts and violence are the major reasons for the critical food shortage. “Crops and markets have been destroyed in the fighting. The security situation and displacement has caused food production to dwindle and trade routes have been disrupted. This, paired with an increasingly difficult economic situation, makes more people go hungry every day”, says Carina Hansen.
The violence also makes it increasingly difficult for civilians to find protection. Over the past two weeks two civilians have been killed and six wounded in armed attacks on two of the UN bases where civilians have sought refuge. Altogether more than 150.000 people are now sheltered in UN Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS) bases, in addition to the over 1.5 million displaced elsewhere in the country. Brutal, targeted attacks against civilians, sexual violence and forced recruitment of children are growing problems, as is attacks on the UN and aid agencies in the country.
“The security situation prevents humanitarian organisations from bringing relief to those who need it the most. Several times the Norwegian Refugee Council has been forced to cancel relief activities because it simply is too dangerous. Unless all parties to the conflict stop the fighting and respect international conventions, an extremely critical situation will go from bad to worse in South Sudan's fifth year as an independent state”, says Carina Hansen.
FACTS - NRC IN SOUTH SUDAN
- NRC is currently providing assistance in Central Equatoria State, Warrap, and Northern Bahr El Ghazal with the emergency up-scaled into Awerial in Lakes States, Bor and Akobo in Jonglei State and Leer in Unity State as well as having mobile teams that are implementing in hard to reach areas across the country.
- One mobile team has been set up for non-food items and shelter distribution. Three mobile teams are responding in food-distribution in partnership with WFP.
- Education in Emergency response has been rolled out with programs in Central Equatoria State, Lakes, Jonglei and Unity. In addition to this, education activities continue with focus on catch-up programmes, literacy and skills training programs under Youth Education Pack.
- An integrated emergency response is under implementation with activities in food security, NFI, wash and shelter in the hard-to-reach areas. Response is being planned from the field offices in Bor and Akobo in Jonglei state and in Leer in Unity state.