Earlier this year, thousands of people left their homes following the government's decision to allow the Ugandan army to enter eastern Equatoria, south Sudan in order to eliminate the Lords Resistant Army (LRA), a rebel group based in northern Uganda. In return, the LRA attacked several villages killing and abducting residents, and burning and looting homes.
Over the last few months, the threat of violence continued to disrupt normal programming and forced more people from their homes. For a time, Catholic Relief Services staff were forced to evacuate Sudan after the government closed all humanitarian access into large areas in the south. During this time, a continued influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees was reported in the Nimule, Labone, Acholi areas and in Ikotos.

Through Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), which provides logistical support and helps establish security protocols for staff and commodities moving within Sudan, CRS continues to help Sudanese caught in the fighting that has battered the country for two decades.

CRS holds as signs of hope for Sudan the passage of the Sudan Peace Act on Oct 21st, recent agreements for a cease-fire and guarantees for humanitarian access for the remainder of the year.

Catholic Relief Services Responds

CRS, in coordination with its partner organizations, is striving to meet the immediate food and necessities needs for war and drought-affected IDPs, returnees, and indigenous populations in south Sudan. The agency's main objectives include:

• Providing food to 76,000 internally displaced persons in south Sudan in a timely manner.
  
  
• Providing six months worth of half ration food for 45,000 people to protect their seed base should they experience drought, crop loss, etc.
  
  
• CRS also has the capacity to provide 37,500 beneficiaries with full food rations for three months and emergency kits for up to 1,000 beneficiaries.

Over the last few months, CRS also:

• Distributed food and vegetable oil to 81,042 IDPs in the Nimule and Labone camps.
  
  
• Distributed food to 2,231 IDPs, and 516 survival kits in Ngaluma and Tseretenya.
  
  
• Distributed food to 5,000 IDPs in the Momoria camp.
  
  
• Distributed food and vegetable oil in the Momoria camp for a feeding program targeting 2,500 malnourished children and pregnant and lactating mothers.
  
  
• Distributed food to 2,305 new arrivals displaced from the Acholpii camp that are now settled in Nimule and Labone.
  
  
• Distributed food to 7,950 indigenous and 6,410 IDP populations in the Acholi area. In addition, 1,253 hoes and 1,253 survival kits were also distributed.
  
  
• Expanded its school-feeding program into south Bor County. Eighteen schools with 3,165 students received food rations.
  
  
• Facilitated with the Sudan Ecumenical Forum a Civil Society Forum to bring civil society together from northern and southern Sudan to discuss issues of reconciliation and good governance.

Background

Since 1983, Sudan has been engaged in a civil war between the government of Sudan and opposition groups mainly in the south. The Sudanese have been struggling for the right to define themselves culturally, religiously and politically. Thus far, the war has claimed more than two million lives and has uprooted an estimated four million people from their homes.

CRS/Sudan started major humanitarian interventions in southern Sudan in 1989, supporting people in eastern Equatoria displaced by war. Currently in its 12th year of operations, CRS/Sudan has base camps in 12 locations in southern Sudan, logistical support bases in Lokichoggio, Kenya and Kampala, Gulu, and Kitgum in Uganda. CRS/Sudan's headquarters is located in Nairobi Kenya.

Your support is needed.

Donations can also be made by calling:
1-800-736-3467
or by sending checks to:
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090.

Copyright=A92002 CRS