Sudan - Complex Emergency Situation Report #4 (FY 2002)

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

Note: This Situation Report updates USAID/OFDA Situation Report #3, FY02 dated March 6, 2002.

BACKGROUND

Sudan's 18-year civil war between Government of Sudan (GOS) military and militia forces and mostly southern Sudanese rebel groups, including the Southern Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) has adversely affected Sudanese populations along the traditional North/South divide and transitional zones (i.e. the Nuba Mountains, Southern Blue Nile). Populations in the South and transitional areas continue to be adversely affected by forced displacements due to the continued fighting, raiding, and GOS aerial bombings. Since 1999, GOS military operations aimed at securing oil drilling and exploration has further increased displacement of the affected populations in the Nuba Mountains and western Upper Nile.

The humanitarian consequences of the nearly two-decade old conflict have been staggering. Since 1983, more than 2 million civilians have died from war-related events, including fighting, famine, and disease, and an additional 4 million people have been internally displaced by the conflict, the largest displaced population in the world. Sudan has experienced three periods of famine over the last 13 years; Bahr el Ghazal in 1988-1989 and 1998, and Upper Nile in 1992-1993.

In response to the 1988-1989 Bahr el Ghazal famine, the United Nations (U.N.) established Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), a tripartite agreement of negotiated access among the GOS, the SPLM, and the U.N. Under this framework, a consortium of U.N. agencies and more than 40 international and indigenous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provide emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance in Sudan. In addition, more than ten international NGOs provide humanitarian assistance outside of the OLS consortium. USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has been active in Sudan since 1987, addressing the humanitarian needs of the war and drought-affected populations, both within and outside the OLS framework.

Total FY 2002 USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan (to date): $32,615,967
Total FY 2002 USAID/FFP Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan (to date): $38,246,178
Total FY 2002 USDA Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan (to date): $10,900,000
Total FY 2002 State/PRM Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan (to date): $2,200,000
Total FY 2002 USG Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan (to date): $83,962,145

CURRENT SITUATION

Western Upper Nile (Unity State): Over the course of Sudan's 18-year civil war, the months prior to the rainy season have been a time of increased military activity along the North-South divide. Recent reports from UN OCHA and NGOs indicate that serious military engagement between GOS and SPLA forces in Western Upper Nile has displaced civilians in a large area of Western Upper Nile. The current fighting, around the oil drilling and exploration operations, has largely depopulated civilians around Ruweng, Nimne, Rubkona County and Leer. International NGOs have estimated that the conflict has already depopulated more than 50% of the civilians in Western Upper Nile, many of whom have fled to the south and west.

WFP's Annual Needs Assessment (ANA), conducted in October 2001, estimated that more than 153,000 beneficiaries were in need of humanitarian assistance in Western Upper Nile. However, with the current dry season offensive, the number of civilians in need of both food and non-food humanitarian assistance is now more than 200,000. Immediate humanitarian intervention is critical because May-June is the beginning of the hunger gap and the forthcoming rainy season, historically, restricts the ability to deliver humanitarian assistance to Western Upper Nile.

Northern Bahr el Ghazal: According to international humanitarian organizations, new military activity in previously stable, highly populated areas of northern Bahr el Ghazal is causing displacement and increasing the need for a substantial humanitarian intervention. According to UN OCHA, on April 19, 2002, the GOS began a large military offensive out of Wau in two directions, north towards Gogrial and southeast towards Tonj. WFP's ANA estimates that more than 120,000 civilians are in need of humanitarian assistance in the Gogrial area.

Humanitarian access to these populations, as well as the affected population in Western Upper Nile, will depend on GOS flight clearances for May. GOS flight denials increased significantly in March and April, significantly exacerbating the humanitarian situation. The current increased military operations by both the GOS and SPLA, widespread civilian displacement in northern Bahr el Ghazal and Western Upper Nile, and restricted humanitarian access due to GOS flight denials, mirrors the pattern of events that led to the humanitarian catastrophe in Bahr el Ghazal in 1998.

Eastern Equatoria: According to WFP, the military offensive by the Ugandan People's Defense Force (UPDF) against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), in Eastern Equatoria, could prompt the return of 3,000 to 5,000 children abducted by the LRA from northern Uganda. WFP and UNICEF have prepared a contingency humanitarian response for these ex-LRA child combatants. UN agencies, including UN OCHA, are also preparing for internal displacement in Eastern Equatoria and an influx of Sudanese refugees into northwestern Uganda if the offensive goes badly.

On April 22, 2002, UNICEF indicated that these clashes threaten to uproot families and prevent civilians from accessing health care, clean water, and education services in Eastern Equatoria. Humanitarian access to Eastern Equatoria, via OLS, is limited due to GOS flight denials.

Nuba Mountains: Implementation of the Nuba Mountains cease-fire agreement, signed by both the GOS and SPLA, began on January 22, 2002. Since then, the Joint Military Commission (JMC) has deployed to the region to assist the disengagement and redeployment of GOS and SPLA forces, monitoring the six-month cease-fire, and clearing of relief flights. On April 19, 2002, an advance team from the U.S. State Department's Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs went to the region to assist with deployment plans for a quick reaction demining force to Sudan to conduct mine clearance operations in the Nuba Mountains.

Recent reports indicate that the cease-fire continues to hold, and that people are moving freely between GOS and SPLM areas. In an indication of increased safety and security in the area, reports indicate that civilians who migrated to large urban areas, such as Khartoum, El Obied and Madani, are returning to the Nuba Mountains. Vaccination campaigns by NGOs and the GOS Ministry of Health, have responded to an outbreak of Meningitis, primarily affecting unvaccinated civilians from SPLM areas.

Northern Drought: Information from the North Darfur Early Warning Food Security Group indicates that more than 426,000 people in North Darfur require food assistance during the critical hunger months (June-September) this year as a result of successive drought years as well as structural problems. The North Darfur state government estimates that this year's cereal deficit will total more than 104,000 metric tons (MT).

Disease Eradication and Surveillance: On April 1, 2002, officials from UNICEF, WHO and OCHA condemned the detention last month of 14 polio vaccination workers in Sudan as a major setback to the polio eradication campaign. Reports indicate that Sudanese relief workers near the GOS garrison in Malakal, Upper Nile were detained and beaten by SPLA forces due to their unauthorized movement from GOS to SPLA areas. Polio eradication is one aspect of U.S. Special Envoy Danforth's initiative to establish periods of tranquility for special disease eradication programs in war-torn areas of southern Sudan.

CONSTRAINTS TO HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Humanitarian Access: The United Nations has condemned the Government of Sudan's (GOS) decision to deny access to 43 locations in southern Sudan for the month of April, which prevents 1.7 million people from receiving humanitarian assistance. This is the second consecutive month that the GOS has denied such a high number of locations. On average, more than 25 locations are denied by the GOS every month. This recent increase has significantly reduced the delivery of humanitarian assistance to southern Sudan's civilian population, especially in Western Upper Nile. The May 2002 list of GOS denied locations is expected in the near term.

On April 25, 2002, the UN Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs for Sudan, Ambassador Tom Vraaslsen, called upon both the GOS and SPLA to lift all flight bans so that humanitarian organizations can provide food and non-food items to civilian populations in need of humanitarian assistance.

Aerial Bombings: The agreement to Protect Civilians and Civilian Facilities from Military Attack, signed by both the GOS and SPLA on March 29, 2002, should have a positive humanitarian impact in southern Sudan, and particularly in Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal.

Southern Sudan's civilian population has been devastated by the conflict, particularly by GOS aerial bombardments, and the agreement, if implemented, would remove a significant security concern affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in southern Sudan. However, the agreement to protect civilians may not be effective until the agreed monitoring system is established.

Insecurity: Due to the active military conflict in parts of southern Sudan, insecurity remains a significant constraint to the delivery of assistance. OLS security officials closely monitor the security situation to ensure the safety of humanitarian staff. The current dry season offensive in Western Upper Nile and northern Bahr el Ghazal is causing OLS security to evacuate staff from numerous locations.

USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

In May 2001, President Bush named USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios as Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan (SHCS). The role of the Special Humanitarian Coordinator includes increasing stability in war and drought-affected areas, improving the delivery mechanisms of humanitarian assistance, coordinating USG assistance, coordinating external relations with other donors, and increasing attention on human rights abuses. In response to this appointment, Administrator Natsios formed a Sudan Task Force to effectively manage the day-to-day implementation of these goals. Administrator Natsios, marking the one-year anniversary of his appointment as SHCS, is scheduled to visit Sudan in late May.

On September 6, 2001, President Bush appointed former Senator John Danforth to be his Special Envoy for Peace to Sudan. Senator Danforth has put forth a series of initiatives to test the seriousness of the main combatants about peace, including sustained peace in the Nuba Mountains, periods of tranquility for special humanitarian programs, the cessation of GOS aerial bombardments of civilian and humanitarian targets, and the establishment of a Sudan slavery and forced abduction commission. Special Envoy Danforth will soon submit his report to the White House.

Within the framework of the Integrated Strategic Plan for Sudan, USAID has identified programmatic priorities for fiscal year 2002. These priorities include: multi-sectoral emergency assistance to war-affected populations, increasing support to war-affected populations in under-served geographic areas (i.e. Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, Southern Blue Nile, and eastern Sudan), increasing support for IDP/refugee returns, continuing to support drought and flood recovery in northern Sudan, and responding quickly to negotiated humanitarian access agreements.

USAID/OFDA, as well as USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP), provide humanitarian assistance under the guidelines of the Integrated Strategic Plan and outlined programmatic priorities. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) provide additional USG humanitarian assistance to Sudan. In FY 2002, USAID's Africa bureau is managing the development portion of the Sudan Integrated Strategic Plan in opposition-held areas of the country, with planned levels of $11.4 million in development assistance and $4 million in Economic Support Funds.

On October 15, 2001, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Raymond Brown renewed the disaster declaration for FY 2002 for Sudan. The US Mission in Sudan has declared disasters due to complex emergencies since 1987.

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Tami Halmrast-Sanchez
Acting Director
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance

USAID/OFDA bulletins can be obtained from the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/hum=5Fresponse/ofda/situation.html