South Sudan Crisis Situation Report No. 67 (as of 19 December 2014)

HIGHLIGHTS

● Around 1.4 million people are displaced within South Sudan. Another 488,500 have fled to neighboring countries

● Acute respiratory infection surpassed malaria as the main cause of illness among displaced people.

● The conflict has caused unprecedented displacement of millions of cattle from conflict-affected areas into areas outside usual pastoral lands, challenging local power structures, affecting natural resource availability and altering disease patterns.

3.8 million People to be assisted by the end of the ye

3.8 million People reached with humanitarian assistance *

1.91 million People displaced by conflict since December 2013

$600 million Required for life-saving assistance by February 2015

Situation Overview

Central and Eastern Equatoria

Two humanitarian organization contracted trucks were ambushed by unknown persons along Juba-Nimule road on 16 December. One person was reportedly wounded. The truck convoy had offloaded its cargo in Juba and was heading back to the Uganda border crossing. There were reports of insecurity along Juba-Rumbek road in recent weeks, though not during the reporting period. Partners continue to monitor movement through the Nimule border to Uganda with some 3139 people having arrived from 24 November to 16 December, and an average of 180 registering each day between 6 and 16 December - compared to an average of 12 persons per day in late October.

Jonglei

The security situation was generally calm, but with reported fighting in northern areas of Pigi/Canal and Fangak counties. Preliminary information on recent displacement in northern Jonglei indicates some 100,000 people could be on the move. On 16 December, inter-communal fighting was reported in Haat, Ayod County. The number of casualties was unknown. Partners remained on the ground, though some staff have been taken out on 16 December.

Unity

The situation was calm, including in Bentiu town. Up to 1,000 displaced persons, mainly women and children were sheltering at three collective centers in the town, according to findings of an inter-cluster assessment conducted on 16 December. An additional 2,000 have reportedly arrived to Bentiu PoC. Partners were mobilising for appropriate response.

Upper Nile

Security in Malakal has significantly improved over the previous few weeks. An estimated 28,623 displaced people are concentrated in different locations in Panyikang County, according to a team which visited the area on 5 December. An inter-agency assessment mission is expected to deploy to some of the reported displacement locations on 17 December to assess the humanitarian situation there. Reports were received of new displacement from Pigi County, Jonglei to Warjok, Malakal County. Partners are verifying this information.

Lakes

The security situation in Lakes is calm but unpredictable, with continued inter-communal violence, revenge killing, and cattle raids. A reported 68 people have been killed in such violence from 2-15 December, compared to 21 people in November.

Livestock displaced by conflict

The Food and Agriculture Organization reports an unprecedented displacement of millions of cattle from conflict-affected areas into areas outside usual pastoral lands, challenging local power structures, affecting natural resource availability and increasing incidence of livestock disease. Millions of cattle have moved into the Equatorias, Bahr el-Ghazal, and north eastern Upper Nile State. This phenomenon has significantly disrupted the seasonal migration of livestock - a critical element of the pastoral production system. An up-tick in livestock disease has been noted. The full report is here: http://bit.ly/1C6v4Tm

Disease

Acute respiratory infection surpassed malaria as the main cause of illness among displaced people. The underfive and crude mortality rates in all displacement sites were below the emergency threshold in week 49. During the week, perinatal deaths was the most common cause of death for children under 5, while TB/HIV/ AIDS was the most common causes of death adults. HIV remained a leading cause of mortality among displaced people, mainly due to disrupted treatment or limited access to treatment. Although the HIV prevalence in most crisis affected areas is unknown, UNAIDS estimates that at least 25,000 people living with HIV are directly affected by the conflict.