I found it quite bemusing that they called the following things 'highlights'. Can't really see many positives in this, as the title suggests...
• Over 140,000 conflict-affected people have been registered in need of aid in Jonglei State, with rapid
inter-agency assessments largely complete and the focus shifting to aid delivery.
• A militia attack in Warrap State killed 78 people, displaced 3,000 and affected 40,000 people, according to local authorities.
• Humanitarian partners supported the movement of 20,000 refugees from insecure border areas in Upper
Nile State to safer locations south.
I. Situation overview
The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continued to be strained on multiple fronts, with a rebel militia group attack in Warrap State’s Tonj East County on 28 January allegedly killing 78 people. Another clash, possibly related, in Mayendit in Unity State killed a reported 12 people. Rumours also persisted of possible retaliatory inter-communal attacks in Jonglei State. Some 100,000 refugees are estimated to be in Upper Nile and Unity states, displaced by fighting in Sudan’s Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan. On the food security front, the Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report released this week predicts that up to five million South Sudanese will face food shortages in 2012.
The political situation in South Sudan continued to remain tense, with the government shutdown of oil production in response to the alleged confiscation of its oil by Sudan. Talks between the two presidents on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa did not produce an agreement on oil transit fees, but negotiations will reportedly resume on 10 February. Humanitarian partners remain concerned about possible unrest resulting from government-planned austerity measures to be implemented because of the loss in oil revenue.
II. Humanitarian challenges: needs and response
140,000 conflict-affected people registered in need of aid in Jonglei State.
Inter-communal tensions remained high in Jonglei State, with rumours persisting of possible reprisal attacks.
Civilians are also anxious about a planned disarmament drive due to begin in the state shortly. Two attacks took place over the week, but it is unclear whether they are part of the recent spate of inter-communal violence. On 1 February, UN Security reported an attack by an unknown group on a police patrol travelling from Likuangole to Akobo. On 29 January, local sources reported a cattle raid in Twic East County, in which some 4,000 cattle were stolen.
Humanitarian partners continued to scale up the response to those affected by the recent inter-communal
violence. Rapid inter-agency humanitarian assessments are now largely completed in affected areas, and
partners are focusing on delivering relief. As of 30 January, over 140,000 people had been registered in need of aid, exceeding the initial planning figure of 120,000. Some 100,000 people have been provided with food aid to date. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support is ongoing, with partners continuing to repair water points and construct latrines in Pibor town and Likuangole. In Gumuruk, there are no functioning boreholes and water has to be delivered to the town by truck. Health assistance is underway with community health workers travelling to Pibor, Dorein, Fertait, Gumuruk and Likuangole to conduct heath outreach. Nutrition support is also scaling up.
A blanket supplementary feeding programme for 2,000 children started in Pibor on 30 January and nutrition
services are ongoing in Boma. A supply of the nutritional supplement Plumpy Nut arrived in Ayod County for use in surrounding areas. Close to 8,000 non-food item (NFI) kits have been transported to the Pibor area since the onset of the crisis, and initial distributions have been completed in Pibor town, Likuangole and Boma. The movement of 7,570 NFI kits to Duk, Yuai, Waat, Walgak and Akobo is also being planned, with the first movement underway to Yuai. Education support is also ongoing in affected areas, with two temporary learning spaces operating in Pibor town, benefitting some 130 children a day.
Insecurity, the low number of partners on the ground in some areas, and road inaccessibility of some conflict-affected areas continue to hamper the relief operation. Despite these constraints, operations have started in
Walgak with the first food distribution on 2 February and the re-opening of the nutritional stabilization centre.
Refugee sites in Upper Nile State nearing full capacity.
Current refugee situation
In Upper Nile State, the security situation in Bunj town in Maban County and surrounding areas is calm, despite the bombardment in the Sudan border area of El Foj on 23 January. The relocation of refugees from the area was completed during the week, with some 1,300 people moved from El Foj. Over 20,000 people have been moved to safer areas south since the relocations began on 6 January. Registration is ongoing at the Jammam site, where 29,522 people have been registered so far. In case the Jammam site reaches capacity, a second site in the area has been identified and is being assessed for water availability and the presence of unexploded ordnance.
There are an estimated 34,000 refugees located at the Doro refugee settlement in Maban. As the site is close to full capacity, land for a second site in the area has been identified. Assessments of water availability will take place in the coming week. Arrangements have been made for the creation of a camp management group in Doro, which will include representatives from the refugee community, the host community and protection partners.
Humanitarian partners continue to assist the movement of refugees in Unity to safer areas.
Ongoing insecurity along the border between Unity State and Sudan’s Southern Kordofan State remains a concern to humanitarian partners. The vast majority of the 26,440 refugees in Unity are residing in Yida refugee site close to the Sudan border. The humanitarian community continued to encourage and assist the movement of refugees to locations a safer distance from the border. On 25 January, partners assisted 87 students, six teachers and caretakers, and 28 vulnerable refugees to relocate to Pariang from Yida. On 28 January, another 57 refugees were relocated to Pariang. In addition to organized movements, spontaneous arrivals continued, with 76 people moving from Pariang to Nyeel refugee site. As of 30 January, 534 refugees were registered at the Pariang transit site and 564 refugees were registered in Nyeel.
A meeting between local authorities, protection partners and the Yida refugee leaders took place on 28 January to discuss relocating from Yida. A memorandum of understanding was agreed upon which included provisions related to freedom of movement of refugees and the creation of a relocation committee. Partners continued to coordinate activities to support refugees who have relocated away from the Yida site. Education assistance is being provided to secondary students in Pariang and partners are mobilizing to begin a school feeding programme. The mobile health clinic continues travel between the town and the refugee transit site in Pariang three times a week.
Up to five million South Sudanese face food shortages in 2012
Nearly five million people in South Sudan will face food shortages in 2012, including at least one million who are severely food insecure, according to a report released on 1 February by the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster. The Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) was conducted between October and November 2011 at the government’s request, to investigate the overall food security situation in South Sudan. On top of the one million people severely insecure, the CFSAM report estimates that a further 3.7 million are borderline and will need help to avoid slipping into the 'severe food insecurity’ category. This is an increase of 1.5 million compared to last year. Poor harvests, rapidly rising prices, conflict and displacement are blamed for the deteriorating situation.
Percentage of households severely and moderately food insecure
South Sudan is likely to have a cereal deficit of more than 470,000 tonnes in 2012, according to the report. That is about half the country’s cereal requirements for the year. Erratic rainfall, conflict related displacement,
and an influx of returning South Sudanese and refugees in the country are all affecting food supplies.CFSAM reports that South Sudan will need increased amounts of immediate food aid in 2012. Planting of crops begins in March and none of the funding requested through the Consolidated Appeals Process for agriculture and livestock interventions has arrived. Without this, close to 1.2 million people will not receive farming inputs and livestock vaccinations, making the food shortages bite deeper and faster.
WASH and protection needs largely met for people displaced from Abyei
Humanitarian partners continue to provide assistance to an estimated 110,000 people in the Agok area, Warrap State and other locations in South Sudan, displaced by the conflict that broke out in Abyei in May 2011. Over the next two months, food security and livelihood partners plan to support 31,000 vulnerable households in Warrap - including displaced people - with seeds to support crop production. According to WASH partners, the current water supply situation in Agok and surrounding areas is satisfactory. Close to 30 boreholes of a total of 45 have now been completed, and partners continue to work on the construction of remaining water points. The overall humanitarian protection situation in the Agok area remains relatively stable, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Regular protection monitoring in areas with people displaced from Abyei have not revealed any specific protection incidents among the displaced or between the displaced and host communities. Education partners are constructing five permanent primary schools in the Greater Tonj and Gogrial East counties for displaced students and host communities, which will benefit 3,200 students.
Attack in Warrap State reportedly kills 78 people
Local authorities reported that an unknown militia group from Unity State attacked a cattle camp in Warrap’s Tonj East County on 28 January. Initial reports indicated that 78 people were killed in the incident, over 68 people were wounded and some 17,400 heads of cattle were seized, according to local authorities. Nine people are reportedly missing. An inter-agency assessment on 28 January reported that an estimated 3,000 people were displaced to surrounding villages and that some 40,000 people have been affected because their livestock was stolen. The immediate needs of those affected are food, water, medicine and NFIs.
On 1 February, local authorities came together in neighbouring Mayendit town in Unity State in an inter-county peace initiative meeting, including to reportedly resolve the Warrap attack. Clashes broke out nearby, the cause of which is still being investigated. Initial figures indicate that 12 people were killed and 25 wounded in the incident, according to UNMISS. An unknown number of civilians reportedly fled to the bush. A UN team was on the ground at the time to assist in resolution efforts. They were caught in the crossfire, and one staff member was shot and is in hospital.
III. Returns to South Sudan
Continued preparations for increased returns
The rate of South Sudanese returning from Sudan increased compared to recent weeks, with over 1,100 new arrivals reported between 25 and 31 January, most of which were spontaneous returns. Flights organized by humanitarian partners carrying highly vulnerable returnees from Khartoum to Central Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal continued, with 312 people flown from 26-29 January. New funding for humanitarian partners in Sudan will finance the transportation of some 7,000 of the 11,000 returnees in Sudan’s Kosti way station to South Sudan.
Manifesting has begun for further train movements from Khartoum, with up to 4,000 returnees expected to be taken on three trains from Khartoum and Kosti to Greater Bahr el Ghazal State. In Renk in Upper Nile State, an IOM-supported barge moving some 900 returnees who were awaiting onward transport is due to depart 3 February for Juba. In addition, land movements are being organized for up to 600 people moving from Renk to other locations in Upper Nile. Over 364,000 individuals have returned to South Sudan since October 2010.
Humanitarian assistance ongoing for returnees in Renk, Lakes and Wau
Humanitarian support for returnees awaiting onward transport in Renk continues, with health partners opening another clinic during the week. Large amounts of returnee luggage continue to be the main barrier to
their movement and partners are looking into road transport during the dry season. This would free up barge space for luggage, which could be transported separately. In Lakes state, 184 returnee households are being assisted with shelter, food, water and medical care at the way station in Rumbek while they await land allocation. Returnees who were flown to Wau over the past two weeks who do not have relatives there are being accommodated in the government transit centre, and the local authorities will assist them in applying for land allocation.
Registration of returnees flown to Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Humanitarian partners in South Sudan and Sudan jointly planning for returnee influx
As the 8 April deadline for South Sudanese to leave Sudan draws near, humanitarian partners are preparing for a potential large influx of returnees. Humanitarian partners in both countries have prepared contingency plans for a mass influx of up to 500,000 people. In the meantime, both humanitarian communities continue to advocate to the governments of both countries for a joint agreement on returns.
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So there you have it. A bit of an insight into this mixed-up place that is the world's new country. Such a long way to go.
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