Humanitarian Action in Southern Sudan Report, week 24, 08 - 14 Jun 2009

SUMMARY/HIGHLIGHTS

- Humanitarian aid convoy attacked along the Sobat Corridor

- Humanitarian community responds to the Akobo situation

- Further influx of refugees into Southern Sudan reported due to resurgence of LRA attacks

I. FOCUS ON SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

Humanitarian aid convoy attacked along the Sobat Corridor, Upper Nile State

On 14th June, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Ameerah Haq issued a press statement condemning the attack on a convoy of 27 barges (boats) carrying 737MT of food from the World Food Programme destined for Akobo County, Jonglei State in Southern Sudan. The attack on the convoy and its military escort happened on 12th June near Nyariem Village - 12km southeast of Nassir in Upper Nile State.

The press statement reported that an unspecified number of people were killed and others wounded as a result of the fighting between an armed group and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) military escort.

The food had been dispatched for distribution to 18,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Akobo and has not reached the intended beneficiaries. The barges together with several others carrying commercial cargo had been held up for a number of days. Following the attack, 16 boats returned to Malakal and 11 others went missing. Some food was looted but figures are not yet verified.

The UN Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande is working with the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) authorities to address this situation. The Sobat Corridor has always been cause for security concerns with armed escort required at all times for most of 2008.

[SOURCES: UNMIS, OCHA, RCSO]

II. CURRENT ISSUES

Early response to the Akobo situation

The attack on a convoy of barges carrying WFP food to Akobo has delayed food aid distributions to a population in critical need. UNMIS is leading daily meetings in Akobo to follow up on the attack.

Early response efforts to the situation in Akobo following the delay of barges included an OCHA charter that flew a WFP/OCHA assessment team, medical supplies and fishing kits for IDPs on 12th June. On 13th June WFP airlifted 9.5MT of food to the area. The Akobo Community in Diaspora identified orphaned children and needy elderly persons that need emergency shelter as they had sought refuge at a central building offered by the former county authorities.

A nutrition survey conducted by NHDF with support from UNICEF was completed. MSF Holland, WFP & Medair planned further nutrition assessments in Akobo during week 25. UNICEF delivered NFI kits (1,400 kitchen sets and 2,800 mosquito nets) for distribution in Akobo.

[SOURCES: OCHA]

III. POPULATION MOVEMENTS

Refugees and IDPs Affected by LRA Attacks

- Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels carried out further attacks on the DRC side within the past two weeks and it seems that their operations continue unabated. This has caused increased influx of refugees into Southern Sudan. UNHCR estimated that up to 700 new refugees last week arrived into Lasu, Central Equatoria State and smaller numbers arriving into Western Equatoria State. No attacks within Southern Sudan were reported in the past week.

- According to UNHCR water supply is still inadequate in Makpandu, Lasu and Ezo refugee settlements. In Mkpandu, education and camp management issues still need to be improved.

- In the Napere camp the refugee population had fallen to around 1500 as reflected after registration but is increasing again following new LRA attacks in DRC.

- Since October 2008, the LRA have displaced 73,190 people out of which 18,638 are verified refugees from DR Congo and 54,552 are internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Southern Sudan's Western and Central Equatoria State. The above estimates are based on reports from the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC), UNHCR, UNRCSO and inter-agency assessments. As populations move the numbers are subject to change.

[SOURCES: UNHCR, UNRCSO, UNOCHA]

Returns & Reintegration

- Seventy-six (76) households comprised of 195 individuals were provided with logistical and transportation assistance under the South to South organized returns operations. They were transported from Juba to Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State. All cases have received non-food items from IOM and food fromWFP.

- In Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal States, 20 individuals were returned from Khartoum within the IOM Return of Qualified Sudanese programme. The heads of families prior to returning home had received job offers from the State Ministry of Education. The 20 individuals have been provided with non-food items and 3-months food package from WFP.

[SOURCES: UNHCR, UNRCSO, UNOCHA]

IV. SITUATION, NEEDS AND RESPONSE BY SECTOR

Common Services and Coordination

- As of 15 May, the new Juba port is under the direct management of the GoSS Ministry of Transport and Roads (MoTR) - Directorate of River Transport. Jetty construction and rehabilitation is being carried out by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and is expected to be complete by the end of June. Currently the MoTR and the Porter's Union are developing a new pricing structure for cargo handling with standard prices for all offloading, which is expected to take affect by mid-to-late July.

- For further information, or should you have questions, please contact sudan.juba@unjlc.org.

- IOM trucks facilitated the transportation of 15 metric tones of medical supplies and facilities from the Ministry of Health GoSS in Juba to Warrap State.

[SOURCES: UNJLC, IOM]

Disease Outbreaks

- Week 23 did not have major outbreaks.

- 24 cases of AWD reported in Ezo since 24 May - of these 5 cases were from the refugee camp while the rest are from Ezo town. One of the cases has been confirmed to be cholera. MSF-Spain is visiting Ezo next week to assess the health situation.

- Neonatal Tetanus was reported in Aweil Hospital, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State with 23 cases. WHO will start vaccination of pregnant women in response.

- Six cases of measles were reported in Yei, Central Equatoria State among refugees coming in from DR Congo. The County Health Department will organise a measles vaccination.

- Following the raising of the phase of the Swine Flu pandemic from Phase 5 to Phase 6, WHO has procured a thermal screening machine that has been handed over to the Government and installed at Juba International Airport. This will help to screen people arriving into Southern Sudan.

- According to WHO, this should be no cause for panic as the phase was raised for contingency planning purposes.

[SOURCES: WHO, UNICEF, OCHA]

Health

- UNICEF supported the training 155 health workers (mostly community health workers) on critical immunization skills to apply during the implementation of the Accelerated Child Survival Initiative (ACSI) in Yambio County, Western Equatoria State. The initiative is targeting 25,000 children and 32,000 women of child bearing age with life saving health interventions.

- Also, in order to improve the immunization coverage in Eastern Equatoria State, an Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) coordination committee meeting was held in order to mobilize support for the on-going accelerated routine immunization campaign and improve coordination amongst partners.

- UNICEF delivered 3 cholera kits, 10 cartons of Oral Rehydration Sachets (ORS) and 20 cartons of Ringer Lactates for the treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhea/Cholera to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Northern Bahr El Ghazal.

- UNICEF and MOH are making preparations for the official launch of the Accelerated Child Survival Initiative (ACSI) in Aweil on 25th June. During the reporting week, a community advocacy meeting to introduce ACSI and its benefit was held with administrators of eight payams of the county.

[SOURCES: UNICEF]

Food

- WFP and its partners assisted 69,469 beneficiaries with 775MT of food during the reporting week. This mainly covers FFE 317MT distributed to 9,723 beneficiaries and 484MT to IDPS 18,931 from WES/CES, War rap, lakes and Unity states that were displaced at the beginning of the year due to insecurity that resulted from LRA and inter-tribal conflicts in March and April.

- In Western Bahr el Ghazal, a total of 27,224MT food commodities were distributed to 3,574 (2,036 male and 1,538 female) participants attending various trainings.

[SOURCES: UNICEF]

Nutrition

- UNICEF delivered 35 cartons of plumpy nuts to its partner, SIM-Maban for response to the health and food needs of malnourished children in Upper Nile State.

[SOURCES: UNICEF]

Non-Food Items (NFIs) & Emergency Shelter

- NFIs from IOM arrived in Ezo and distribution was scheduled to start on the 12th.

- In Jonglei, IOM will dispatch 250 pieces of plastic sheeting to Pibor via UNMIS to support the emergency shelter needs of conflict-displaced households. Distributions will be carried out by SSRRC.

- In Unity, following an NFI request from RRR, IOM will provide 36 NFI kits to support households of vulnerable spontaneous returnees in Mayom and Panyjar County. IOM, SSRRC and RRR will carry out distributions.

- Further information on the NFI & ES Sector can be obtained by visiting UNJLC's website at www.unjlc.org/sudan or by e-mailing sudan.juba@unjlc.org.

[SOURCES: IOM, UNJLC]

Water and Sanitation

- UNICEF provided the Southern Sudan Development Organization (SSDO) with borehole spare parts for 10 new safe water points to be drilled in Yei County, Central Equatoria State. Once completed, these water points will increase access to safe water for 5,000 people, including IDPs/refugees in Lasu Camp and the host communities affected by the LRA attacks.

- In Jonglei State, 150 household toilets were completed in Bor County, 2 blocks of toilets (6 compartments each) at 2 health centers in Panwel Health centre and Baidit Health centre, Bor County for 1,000 patients in the two health centers. Also, 4 blocks of toilets (23 compartments) were completed in three schools (Kolnyang Primary school, Tong Primary school, and Panyagor Primary school) for a total of about 1,170 students.

- Responding to the current Acute Watery Diarrhea and cholera outbreak, UNICEF provided 100 cartons of water purification tablets and 20 cartons of soap to the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOPI) in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, and also delivered 700 PUR cartons and 40 Cartons of Soap to MOPI in Warrap State who in turn would hand them over to ACFUSA.

- In Northern Bahr el Ghazal, 16 water purification cans were distributed in 08 health centres in Aweil North County while Aweil Centre County received four; i.e. two each in Aroyo Health Centre and Awada Hospital;

[SOURCES: UNICEF, IOM]

Protection

- 12 girls and 5 women were reportedly raped by armed personnel in Mayom County, Unity State. Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) social workers and UNICEF are investigating the cases and exploring ways to support the victims, some of who received medical treatment.

- In Western Equatoria State, six Sudanese children who escaped from the LRA in DRC were brought back to Juba by MONUC with UNICEF support on 9th June. Four of them have been reunified with their families. A 13 year-old boy from Kagwada/Juba County, who escaped from the LRA, was brought to UNMIS by the SPLA. The boy is undergoing medical checkups and treatment, while awaiting reunification with his family. Also, 3 children (aged below 18) and 3 adults traveled from Juba back to Yambio on 9th June, received by MoSD, of which 4 were reunified with their families while the MoSD providing counseling and material support to the reunified children.

[SOURCES: UNICEF]

V. ASSESSEMENTS AND MISSIONS

- Inter-agency assessment reports may be obtained from OCHA EP&R - eprsouthsudan@un.org