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A long walk to safety: story of asylum seeker Nyagnet Req

For several months, the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, has experienced armed conflict, the death toll from which has been cautiously estimated to be in the thousands. Nearly 900,000 people have been uprooted since fighting began, with the violence continuing unabated despite a ceasefire in January.

One of the most fought over towns is Malakal, capital of oil-producing northern Upper Nile state, from where masses of civilians have been forced to flee. And one of those people is Nyagnet Req, the mother of four daughters and three sons.

On January 13, a day she describes as the worst of her life, she went to a nearby river to fetch water for her household, as part of her every day routine. As she was returning home with a bucket of water on her head, she saw that the town was consumed by heavy armed fighting. Gun shots flew around as parents ran to gather children. Req has only blurred memories of running to her house, collecting her children and rushing to escape the warfare. The next day, she started on her way to the town of Nasir, travelling on foot with her children. After four days, they finally arrived at Nasir where they stayed for two days, exhausted by the journey and needing rest.

The Req family kept walking for another two days and reached the Ethiopian border town of Matar, an entry point to the west Ethiopian region of Gambella. The border between Ethiopia and South Sudan is demarcated by a string of rivers, which asylum seekers need to cross by swimming or taking overcrowded boats. At least one has capsized in the White Nile River, claiming over 200 victims. To reach Ethiopia for safety, crowds of South Sudanese trying to escape the violence swimming across the crocodile-infested Sobat/Baro river.

At Matar, Req and her children stayed for a day. Req and her son got sick with diarrhea, caused by the unsafe water she used at Matar. The family then moved to nearby Lietchor camp, a UNHCR camp intended to host 20,000 refugees. When Req is asked about her basic needs, food and safe water were foremost on her list.

Newcomers to the camp need water, food and shelter. Overwhelmed by the influx, the aid community is striving to provide assistance. Lietchor has begun building modest temporary shelters and basic sanitation facilities.

The Lutheran World Federation is part of an ACT Alliance appeal to alleviate suffering of people caught up in the South Sudan crisis. In close cooperation with other ACT members and the UNHCR, the LWF Ethiopia is responding to the emergency by providing permanent water systems and other sanitation and hygiene services to Lietchor. In addition, it is planning to take part in agricultural livelihoods activities and offer psychosocial support.

No idea where of the fate of her husband

When people are forced to leave their homes, they are often violently separated from their family, livelihoods and community. Req has lost contact with her husband who was working for the government in road construction. She has no knowledge of his whereabouts since the clashes broke out. When Req is asked about her basic needs, food and safe water were foremost on her list.Family separation is one of the prevalent results of this conflict. Women and children have been hit disproportionately hard by the conflict. With most of those fleeing being women and children, protection concerns are amounting. Violence over the last months has placed the most vulnerable at grave risk.

Despite the January agreement to stop hostilities, the situation remains volatile. The United Nations has reported that investigations indicate widespread bloodshed and lawlessness, committed by diverse factions. With livelihoods and infrastructure destroyed back in South Sudan, exacerbated by fears of further fighting, it seems unlikely that stability can be established any time soon. The UNHCR and other aid workers anticipate further displacement, both within and beyond the borders of South Sudan.

Given the rate and scale of destruction, the conflict is feared to lead to a long-term humanitarian crisis with an increasing risk of disease outbreaks. If and when the South Sudanese refugees return, they can expect very little to return to. Months of raging conflict have taken their toll on families and communities. With houses and livelihoods destroyed, rebuilding a fragile country teetering in recent independence will require immense efforts.