Access Issues
Air Operations
During the reporting period, two C-130 Hercules and two Buffalo aircraft continued to deliver food aid from Lokichokio and one C-130 Hercules operated out of El Obeid. The Ilyushin-76 aircraft, previously operating from Khartoum to the Southern Sector, is temporarily off contract due to a reduction in planned food deliveries to these areas following the 1999 end-of-year harvest.
A total of 562 MTs of food were delivered by WFP to both Northern and Southern sector locations in Sudan from Northern sector bases during the week, a decrease of 10% over the previous reporting period. Food was delivered by airdrop to Akon (36 MTs), Akuem (18 MTs), Koch (18 MTs), Kuey (108 MTs), Mardol Ding (27 MTs) and Nine Boli (27 MTs).
Commodities totaling 196 MTs was also delivered to Wau by airlift while 132 MTs were delivered by airfreight. No air deliveries were made to Juba during the reporting period.
During the week, Wau airport was closed in the afternoons for five days to undergo maintenance. Security problems at Lokichokio also resulted in a delay of scheduled drops for a few days during the week.
The operational Cessna aircraft was moved to Lokichokio for maintenance during the reporting period. Meanwhile, another C-130 has arrived in Khartoum and will begin operations after inspections by the Civil Aviation Authority. The IL-76 (Illyushin) aircraft is expected to return to Sudan during the next reporting period, after undergoing maintenance in Russia for six weeks.
Road Operations
During the reporting period, ongoing conflict and insecurity have made Bentiu difficult to access by road, making food deliveries to the town problematic. Food dispatched from El Obeid to Bentiu has therefore been positioned in Rubkona. A ferry used to transfer the food over water moved only 16 MTs before breaking down and the remaining amount (37 MTs) is pending until the ferry becomes operational.
A new road being constructed between Rubkona and Bentiu is developing quickly and may result in the cancellation of the ferry in favor of road transport by next month.
During the week, WFP delivered 105 MTs of wheat flour for distribution to beneficiaries in Kassala.
SECURITY
On 21 January 2000, Kaikuny, Walgak, and Tanyang in Upper Nile were cleared for OLS agencies to resume activities.
During the reporting period, OLS security cleared Motot and Pieri for the return of OLS and NGOs.
During the reporting period OLS staff in Equatoria, Labone and Gulu were evacuated.
On 17 January 2000, Operations at the Lokichokio forwarding base in northern Kenya were disrupted when Lokichokio Manpower Co-operative Society (LMCS) staff held demonstrations outside the United Nations camp and blocked movement into and out of the camp.
The demonstration has been attributed to failure of the LMCS' management to inform its members about an agreement between LMCS and UNICEF/OLS. Late last year, UNICEF/OLS contracted Radar Security Services to train LMCS staff on security procedures and, to supervise LMCS security operations. The services of Radar Security were obtained following discussions and finally a contractual agreement between UNICEF and LMCS.
Following negotiations between LMCS, UNICEF and government authorities in Lokichokio, the demonstration was called-off. Efforts to find a lasting solution to the impasse are on going.
During the reporting period, Mogok was bombed. Two WFP food monitors who were on the ground were evacuated back to Lokichokio.
During the reporting period, Tagiel and Biem were declared security level two after a security assessment.
On 18 January 2000, Labone was evacuated after an attack close to Parajok.
During the reporting period, a WFP vehicle was shot at in Rubkona, Unity State during the week. No WFP staff were injured.
During the reporting period, the security level two has been declared at Bentiu in Unity State. There are restrictions in movement and general unease in the area. The population is suffering from high food insecurity due to the failure of the agricultural season combined with ongoing conflict.
DELIVERIES, DISTRIBUTIONS & INTERVENTIONS
Food Distribution
WFP's distributions have been low during the month, as sub offices have been carrying out registration and evaluation exercises. Preparations are also underway for the Sub-Office/Country Office Workshop, taking place on 25-29 January 2000 in Khartoum.
During the reporting period, UNICEF delivered 100 kg of essential drugs to Tonga on White Nile Corridor and 59 kg to Khor Floos on Sobat Corridor.
UNICEF issued 1.65 MTs of UNIMIX to Malakal Pediatric Hospitals and Malakal Teaching Hospital Feeding Centers.
WFP distributed a total of 1131 MTs of food to 173,900 targeted beneficiaries in Bahr Al Ghazal, Upper Nile and eastern Equatoria. In Bahr Al Ghazal distributions took place in Panliet, Liethnom, Mangok, Nyamlell, Marial, Mayom Akol, Marol Ding Deng, Nine Boli and Malual Bai. Distributions were also done in Kuey, Upper Nile, Naruas and Natinga in eastern Equatoria.
Emergency Response
During the reporting period, Bentiu hospital has admitted 22 kala azar patients. They are mainly IDPs from Jikany, in Upper Nile and are being treated by ICRC and SRC. The suspension of CARE's emergency services has resulted in increased admittance at Bentiu hospital. The commonest diseases in Bentiu hospital are malaria, respiratory infections and kala azar with associated malnutrition and diarrhoeal diseases. The influx into Bentiu escalated during the reporting period, following registration by WFP. German Agro Action also registered 315 households and provided them with non-food items.
Fourteen new kala azar patients were admitted into Pariang dispensary during the week.
Livestock Project
During the reporting period, UNICEF delivered 20 kg of livestock drugs and vaccines.
Immunization
During the reporting period, three UNICEF EPI teams left Malakal for Nyijowade, Papowia and Tonga to boost a second round of immunization activities especially of children under the age of five years and women of childbearing age.
Health Matters
During the reporting period, two new cases of death with meningitis were reported in Wau. The majority of the cases continue to be coming from Wau town and no cases were reported from Raga or Aweil. Between 8 December 1999 - 23 January 2000, the total reported suspected cases in Wau according to UNICEF was 27 with 7 deaths and 2 defaulters. Out of the 27 suspected cases, 3 were admitted in the Military Hospital and 22 in the Civil Hospital.
Water & Sanitation
During the reporting period, UNICEF WES maintained 15 handpumps, 4 household latrines and 1 communal latrine constructed in Baryar School.
UNICEF also delivered 80 kg of water and sanitation materials to conduct training in Pibor.
Awareness and Public Education
During the reporting period, ongoing hygiene health education activities at a three day Training of Teachers (TOT) refresher course was organized in Wau for 30 teachers from western Bahr Al Ghazal.
During the period 18 - 20 January 2000, 20 participants attended TOT workshop that was conducted by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health organized to upgrade the skill and knowledge of volunteers on basic malaria control.
Letters of agreement between WFP and partner NGOs are being finalized. Discussions were held during the week with Germany Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA) and URSUTANA. The visits were part of a new targeting strategy aimed at promoting and assessing the capacity of NGOs to implement food for work activities and other community rehabilitation projects, particularly those benefiting women.
WFP held a meeting with the director of the Ministry of Education in Equatoria to enlighten him about WFP's intention to assist basic schools serving the displaced population with food. The Ministry will provide WFP with a list of school names, locations and the number of students attending basic schools that are presently on holiday and will resume activities in April.
The cost of sorghum has increased by almost one-third in the local markets in White Nile as the newly harvested crops began to be sold. Millet and wheat grains have also shown a marked price increase during the week.
During the week, a local relief meeting was held and chaired by the Minister for Social Affairs of White Nile State and attended by WFP, HAC and national NGO in Kosti. The points discussed were: the relocation of IDPs camps of Laya and Goz-Es-Salam to new surveyed sites, the allocation of the agriculture lands to IDPs and the review and co-ordination of the national NGOs proposals in order to avoid duplication of their activities during 2000. The minister proposed a project combining fishing, literacy and health education among the displaced from Upper Nile and White Nile States living along the two state borders in the year 2000.
ASSESSMENTS
On 19 January 2000, a team of WFP/SMOA/HAC representatives visited the Mohammed Ajack Agricultural Scheme, 21 km east of Malakal. They reported that 1839 feddans of sorghum had been completely damaged and destroyed by birds in November/December 1999.
WFP, CARE and OXFAM are planning to coordinate an assessment of the nutrition, food security and health of the new arrivals into Bentiu. Also WFP, CARE, OXFAM, BCH and HAC are carrying out a joint assessment to evaluate the influx of displaced people into Bentiu. The results will be reported shortly.
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
During the reporting period, ten IDPs burned to death in a White Nile State IDP camp after their grass house caught fire during the week. Among the 10 deaths, three were children and seven were women, of whom one was an expectant mother. Eight other people in the house managed to escape unhurt.
During the reporting period, IDP beneficiaries in Rubkona totaling 2,998 persons received 50 MTs of WFP food during the reporting period. The beneficiaries comprising 1,829 women and 1,169 men received full ration for the month. There has been a continuous influx of people into Rubkona and Bentiu during the week, following WFP distributions. The numbers and registration information of the new beneficiaries will be provided shortly
OTHER OLS ISSUES
Meetings
The NGO/UNHCU Weekly Security Meeting was held on 24 January 2000 at the UNHCU.