Health: Movement to Ngisa clinic is still restricted due to insecurity.
This week, a new clinic was established in Nazareth to serve IDPs and the host community. Routine vaccination of children and women of reproductive age or pregnant continued at the Cathedral and SSRC sites. Vaccination services will start at Nazareth next week.

Eleven health promotion sessions were conducted at the Cathedral and SSRC, with 3,036 individuals receiving health messages on prevention of diarrhoea, handwashing, malaria, personal hygiene and antenatal care. Health partners are forming a Cholera response taskforce.

PSS: 59 cases were attended to at the UNMISS site, SSRC and the Cathedral. There were high numbers of people who had experienced or witnessed violence, with 41 females and three males seen. The referral system is in place and working well. Fifteen cases were identified as needed registration and NFI support; six cases referred for medical attention and five separated children were referred to the ICRC for family tracing.

WASH: At the UNMISS protected area, IOM is supplying 468,000 litres of water per day. Total water storage capacity is at 170m3 , utilising plus two T45 water tanks, four T10 bladders, and two sets of 20m3 bladder tanks in the protection area extension. Four water quality monitors have been recruited and are training. Daily water treatment with chlorine is ongoing, and daily water quality monitoring is occurring for FRC, chlorine demand and Jar Test, with results within acceptable parameters. This week, IOM will start rehabilitating boreholes in Wau South, based on an updated list of boreholes received from Rural Water Department.

NEEDS ANALYSIS

• Multiple locations that have been relatively peaceful during the 3 year political conflict have recently been arenas for heavy armed conflict and significant displacement of civilian populations. The Cluster has rapidly deployed to these areas and scaled up presence in order to address urgent needs for shelter and basic household items.

• The nature of needs in many parts of the country continues to change drastically. With populations looking to settle more permanently, needs are more complex, varied, long term and related to recovery. Humanitarian assistance alone no longer addresses the nature of needs sufficiently.

• Continued food insecurity, failed harvests, a lack of livelihood opportunities for many displaced communities and failing markets remain key displacement factors that push people into locations where reliable access to humanitarian services is guaranteed.

RESPONSE

• In 2016, Cluster partners have reached 115,013 households with NFI and 40,287 households with shelter materials.

• The Cluster has deployed 6 mobile response teams to new areas of the country to provide acute shelter assistance and basic household items to IDPs generated by recent fighting in Wau, Kajo-Keji and Juba.

• Partners in static field locations continue to conduct indepth assessments to determine how S-NFI assistance can address varied and longer term needs within communities resettling themselves after displacement.

GAPS & CHALLENGES

• With a rise in large scale political conflict in multiple locations, mobile response teams remain on standby for assisting IDPs who are inaccessible due to active fighting and difficulties negotiating access and gaining security assurances from the warring parties.

• In the midst of the rainy season, several flights carrying both cargo and humanitarian personnel have been canceled due to muddy airstrips, causing significant response delays.

• Humanitarian actors in the country have not managed to mobilize sufficient resources this year. The Cluster has experienced reductions in Partner capacity to deploy mobile teams in a timely enough manner that can keep pace with rising emergencies across the country.

More than 3,000 – three thousand people have been displaced in Raja county, following the latest clashes between the army and an armed group.

The clashes broke out on Friday last week, forcing many people out of their homes. Majority of the displaced persons have sought shelter in the catholic church compound in Raja.

Fr. Richard Riomo, the priest, in charge of the Catholic Church in Raja, has sounded an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance to support the IDPs.

“We were surprised with big number coming to us; we decided to open the gates of the schools. We registered more than three thousand seven hundred and more are still coming,” he said.

The priest said the displaced persons started arriving on last Friday. He said most of the people were visibly afraid.

“People were afraid, may be there will be repercussion from the soldiers and also there is looting of people’s properties and other bad things happening in the residential area,”

Meanwhile, an official in Wau has said that more than 30 thousand IDPs who fled fighting have returned home.

Hundreds of people fled the fighting between security forces and sought shelter at Wau Catholic Church and a camp located adjacent to the UNMISS base in Wau.

The Director of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Wau, Pons Filberto, confirmed that people are slowly settling back in their homes.

HIGHLIGHTS

 The number of South Sudanese refugees fleeing to Uganda increased yesterday, with 3,870 people crossing the border. There has been a steady increase in the rate of new arrivals over the last ten days, with occasional spikes as people have accompanied Uganda military convoys evacuating Ugandans from South Sudan.

 2,498 refugees crossed in to Uganda using the Elegu border point (Adjumani axis), 236 in Moyo, 56 in Lamwo and 297 in Oraba (Arua axis). 783 refugees were received at Kiryandongo Reception Centre in Mid-West Uganda, which is the highest number of arrivals at this location since the start of the crisis).

 The number of people residing in collection points, transit centres and reception centres has gone up slightly to 32,506. There is an urgent need to open up new settlement areas in order to relocate people to longer-term living arrangements.

 150 and 385 people were transferred from Lamwo and Moyo districts respectively to Nyumanzi Transit Centre by the Office of the Prime Minsiter, UNHCR and partners. 408 refugees were relocated from Ocea Reception Centre to plots of land in Ariwa I, II and III settlements.

 The following strategic priorities were agreed upon at the emergency coordination meeting held on 27 July 2016 in Kampala:

• Decongest and improve reception conditions at Elegu collection point;

• Increase transit and reception centre capacity at all possible locations;

• Improve reception conditions (protection (including sexual and gender-based violence), water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, public health) at all reception and transit centres;

• Open new settlement sites to decongest temporary reception facilities at:

 Yumbe (capacity 100,000 individuals)

 Agojo (capacity 12,500 individuals – site use to be confirmed after further assessment. If site capacity is found to be too small, it will not be used)

KEY FIGURES

3,870 Number of new arrivals on Tuesday 26th July (as per field reports)

43,179 Number of new arrivals since 7th July 2016 (as per field reports)

33,838* Number of new arrivals registered since 1st January in Uganda (RIMS) (as of end of June)

229,176* Total number of South Sudanese refugees registered in Uganda (RIMS) (as of end of June)

*Figures (not updated daily) according to Uganda Government Refugee Information Management System (RIMS)

PRIORITIES

 Rapid opening of the newly identified settlement area in Yumbe.

 Improving capacity and conditions at RCs/TCs

People affected

35 000 people displaced by a fresh wave of violence in July
1.6 million displaced prior to the escalation of the conflict
4.7 million people in need of health services

Impact on the health sector

28% facilities damaged, 10% closed
30% health workers have fled, 2% have been injured
162 cases of cholera
915 cases of measles
26 770 cases of malaria

Funding needs

Health Cluster
US$ 110 million requested
US$32 million received

WHO
US$ 17.6 million requested
US$ 4.3 million received

At a glance

• A fresh wave of violence erupted in South Sudan on 7 July causing more than 300 casualties and displacing thousands.
  
• Even before the recent resumption of hostilities, the health system in South Sudan was facing crisis due to near economic collapse.
  
• The Ministry of Health has recently confirmed 162 cases of cholera in Juba and Duk Counties.
  
• The country is also facing malnutrition, measles and malaria.
  
• The World Health Organization and Health Cluster partners are supporting the Ministry of Health to combat the spread of disease and to respond to the health needs of those affected by the conflict.

Current situation

Despite the peace agreement signed in August 2015, violence erupted in South Sudan on 7 July, with over 300 casualties recorded in the capital, Juba. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) estimates that more than 35 000 people fled their homes during the recent bloodshed.

This is in a country already facing a long-standing crisis. Some 1.6 million people were already displaced and 4.7 million were in need of health services prior to the recent escalation of the conflict.

Berne, Communiqué de presse, 27.07.2016

Au Soudan du Sud, des milliers de personnes ont fui les récents affrontements entre fractions politiques rivales. Ces nouvelles violences ont décuplé les besoins humanitaires déjà considérables dans le pays. La Suisse a décidé de mettre à disposition deux millions de francs supplémentaires, en réponse à la détresse des populations sur place.

La Suisse est préoccupée par le sort réservé à la population civile du Soudan du Sud à la suite des affrontements qui ont éclaté début juillet 2016 dans la capitale Juba et dans le reste du pays. Deux millions de francs seront débloqués par la Direction du développement et de la coopération (DDC) pour assister les victimes de cette nouvelle vague de violences.

La moitié de ce montant est destinée au Fonds humanitaire commun des Nations Unies pour le Soudan du Sud, auquel la Suisse contribue depuis 2014. Elle permettra de financer les opérations dans les trois secteurs prioritaires de la DDC dans ce pays, à savoir la sécurité alimentaire, l’eau et la protection des civils. L’autre million sera alloué au Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM) afin de lutter contre l’insécurité alimentaire qui touche plus de quatre millions de personnes.

Ce nouvel épisode aggrave une situation déjà dramatique sur le plan humanitaire. Le Soudan du Sud est en effet confronté à une extrême pauvreté et la guerre civile ronge le pays depuis décembre 2013.

Le plus jeune Etat au monde fait partie des zones d’interventions prioritaires de l’aide humanitaire suisse, dont le budget 2016 se chiffrait à environ 18 millions de francs, avant cette nouvelle contribution.

Le Soudan du Sud est aussi un pays prioritaire de la Division Sécurité humaine (DSH) du DFAE qui s’engage pour la mise en œuvre de l'accord de paix d'août 2015. La DSH est également impliquée dans le travail de réconciliation et le renforcement de la gouvernance locale, en collaboration avec des autorités traditionnelles. Le budget alloué aux activités de promotion de la paix s’élève à environ un million de francs par an.

Contact

Information DFAE
Palais fédéral ouest
CH-3003 Berne
Tél.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

JUBA, South Sudan – On July 7 ferocious violence erupted in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, two days before the fifth anniversary of the country’s independence. Hundreds of people were killed or wounded, tens of thousands were displaced, and women became targets of sexual violence. Yet amid the bloodshed heroes emerged, like midwife Aber Evaline, who stood her ground to do what she does best: protect the lives of women and newborns, even under gunfire.

By the morning of July 9, an eerie calm had settled over the capital, and Ms. Aber reported for duty at Juba Teaching Hospital. But soon, intense fighting engulfed the city and she found herself on lockdown. The restrictions on civilian movement meant no other staff could come to relieve those at work, putting Ms. Aber on duty, day and night, for five straight days.

As bullets and mortars ripped through the city outside, she became much more than a midwife. She was the ward in-charge, a pharmacist, a mentor, a cleaner and a comforter to terrified mothers and screaming newborns.

“I feared for my life, but I owed it to my community to ensure continuity of service,” Ms. Aber said. “Resources were limited, but with the team at the hospital, we gave it our all.”

Together with two midwifery students, an anaesthetist, and the medical officer on duty, Dr. Kanydany, they would perform 60 vaginal deliveries and seven Caesarean sections.

A deadly route and a dangerous birth

Twenty-eight-year-old Poni Betty was in the last trimester of her fourth pregnancy when the violence broke out. Heavy fighting forced her and her family to flee their home. Suddenly, she was seized with pain and began to bleed.

Ms. Poni knew she had to get to a hospital, but family members tried to change her mind. It was too dangerous, they said. But she knew she could not give birth without help; her last baby had been born by Caesarean section, and midwives had informed her that she would need extra attention during the next delivery.

With the help of a neighbour and a family friend, she made her way to Juba Teaching Hospital. They tried several routes, changing directions when they encountered gunfire and armed checkpoints. Bodies lay in their path.

When they finally arrived, Ms. Poni was in a grave condition.

Ms. Aber quickly diagnosed placenta abruption, a life-threatening complication in which the placenta detaches from the uterus. Ms. Poni needed emergency surgery.

Two lives hanging in the balance

“The doctor said I should be prepared for [the operating] theatre at once,” Ms. Poni was later able to recount. “It was touching to see the doctor praying before starting my operation.”

The delivery was harrowing.

“They found my uterus had ruptured,” she said. Her son needed to be resuscitated after he was born.

Still, both mother and baby quickly recovered.

“I am thankful to the midwives for the help they provided when I got to the hospital,” she said. “I’m so grateful to have found some dedicated South Sudanese doctors on duty when they could have stayed away due to the fighting.”

Tension in the capital

Ms. Aber was not alone. Many midwives and midwifery students worked tirelessly to save as many lives as possible – and to help one another withstand the ordeal.

There are 45 United Nations Volunteer midwives deployed throughout South Sudan. These deployments are supported by UNFPA and the governments of Canada and Sweden, which also support the Juba College of Nursing and Midwifery (JCONAM).

“I endured days living on water only, and when I finally got something to eat it was the midwifery students from JCONAM who shared their meals with me,” Ms. Aber said.

Fighting subsided after July 11, but the situation in South Sudan remains tense. Ms. Poni is haunted by her experience, but also relieved.

“The bodies we saw around my home and on the way still hound me. But it also speaks to the big hearts of the medical staff, who sacrificed a lot to take care of their patients,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for the compassionate staff at the hospital, I don’t know what would have happened to me and my baby."

The possible resumption of civil war in South Sudan poses an imminent threat to populations who may be targeted on the basis of ethnicity and presumed political loyalties.

BACKGROUND: Violence between elements of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO) reignited in Juba on 7 July, two days before South Sudan observed the fifth anniversary of its independence. Heavy fighting, including tanks and helicopter gunships, was reported in Juba, particularly in the Jebel area near a UN base protecting thousands of civilians.

Hundreds of people, including civilians and two UN peacekeepers, were reportedly killed during five days of fighting. Two UN compounds were hit by mortar and artillery fire, killing at least eight people. Approximately 42,000 people were displaced in Juba. Many civilians attempting to flee to UN bases were reportedly prevented from doing so and some were allegedly subjected to targeted killings. At the time of publication a fragile ceasefire appeared to be holding in Juba.

Instability elsewhere in South Sudan has been increasing for weeks, with reports of major fighting between the SPLA and ethnic Fertit in Wau state on 24 June. The violence in Wau resulted in 43 people killed and over 70,000 people displaced. According to the UN, at least 12,000 people are now being protected near its base in Wau.

During August 2015 President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, leader of the SPLA-IO, agreed to end the country's 2013-2015 civil war by signing the "Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan." The power-sharing agreement called for a permanent ceasefire, as well as the establishment of an independent Hybrid Court for South Sudan (HCSS) to investigate mass atrocities committed during the conflict. Machar returned to Juba on 26 April to be sworn in as First Vice President, and the Transitional Government was formed on 29 April. Despite some progress, the UNSC, UN Secretary-General, AU and various international partners had warned that President Kiir and First Vice President Machar were failing to genuinely commit to implementation of the peace agreement.

The civil war was the result of a conflict that started on 15 December 2013 between soldiers from rival SPLA factions. Over the following 18 months, the worst fighting was between ethnic Dinka and Nuer soldiers loyal to President Kiir and Machar, respectively. At least 24 armed militias loosely aligned with either side, including the powerful Nuer White Army, have been operating in South Sudan.

Between 2013 and 2015 parties to the civil war engaged in widespread extrajudicial killings, torture, child abductions and sexual violence, targeting civilians as part of their military tactics. OHCHR published a report on 11 March, noting that all parties to the conflict had committed systematic violations which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. UNICEF estimates that more than 16,000 children were forcibly recruited during the civil war. The AU's Commission of Inquiry reported that between December 2013 and September 2014 government and rebel forces committed "indiscriminate killings of civilians" in Juba, Bor, Bentiu and Malakal.

On 17 February there was an outbreak of inter-communal violence inside the UN site in Malakal, which was sheltering 48,000 IDPs. There are allegations that some SPLA soldiers entered the camp and fired upon civilians before being repelled by peacekeepers from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The fighting left 25 people dead and displaced over 26,000. On 11 March the UN established a High-Level Board of Inquiry to investigate UNMISS' response and subsequently accepted responsibility for failing to adequately protect civilians.

At least 50,000 people were killed during the 2013 to 2015 civil war, which has resulted in nearly 1.7 million IDPs and 706,000 refugees, according to UNHCR. Prior to the recent violence in Juba and Wau over 160,000 people were still taking refuge in six UNMISS bases across the country, which have been frequently targeted for attack. Since the resumption of heavy fighting between 7 and 11 July, more civilians have sought UN protection, which UNMISS lacks the capacity to adequately provide.

ANALYSIS: Political instability, endemic corruption and sustained violence have been pervasive in South Sudan for the majority of its five years of independence. The resumption of fighting in Juba and Wau puts civilians at grave risk of mass atrocity crimes. Attacks on populations sheltering at UN protection sites demonstrates a clear disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict.

Despite the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity, the peace agreement was never fully implemented and the root causes of the conflict have not been adequately addressed. The rapid descent into large-scale fighting in Juba highlights the difficulty of achieving a sustainable peace process under the current political leadership. Ethnic tensions also continue to be exacerbated by officials using hate speech to incite violence.

A pervasive culture of impunity has fueled recurring cycles of armed violence and mass atrocities in South Sudan. With ongoing resource deficits and a hostile operating environment, UNMISS is still struggling to protect vulnerable populations.

The Transitional Government of National Unity, led by President Kiir and First Vice President Machar, has failed to uphold its Responsibility to Protect and ensure accountability for mass atrocity crimes. UNMISS requires urgent international assistance in order to uphold its civilian protection mandate.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE: [For responses prior to December 2015, see GCR2P's Timeline of International Response to the Situation in South Sudan.]

On 15 December the UNSC adopted Resolution 2252, which extended UNMISS' mandate until 31 July 2016. The resolution emphasized that the government of South Sudan "bears the primary responsibility to protect its populations from crimes against humanity, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide."

On 22 March the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution establishing a commission to investigate human rights abuses in South Sudan.

On 31 May the UNSC adopted Resolution 2290 extending the sanctions regime until 31 May 2017 and the mandate of the Panel of Experts until 1 July 2017. The resolution also emphasized that the "Transitional Government of National Unity bears the primary responsibility to protect its population from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity." Six senior military figures, three from each side, are currently subject to sanctions.

On 25 June the UN Secretary-General called on all sides in Wau to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian access to affected populations. The UNSC issued a Press Statement on 1 July reiterating that attacks against civilians may constitute war crimes and calling on the Transitional Government of National Unity to investigate and prosecute those responsible.

The UN Secretary-General, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), AU and other key international partners have condemned the renewed violence in Juba and urged all parties to cease armed hostilities. On 10 July the UNSC held an emergency meeting and issued a Press Statement condemning attacks against civilians and demanding that President Kiir and First Vice President Machar urgently end the fighting.

NECESSARY ACTION: The Transitional Government of National Unity must restore the cessation of hostilities and fully implement all provisions of the August 2015 peace agreement. The UNSC and IGAD should immediately impose an arms embargo and extend targeted sanctions to include any political and military leaders deemed responsible for the resumption of armed hostilities in Juba and elsewhere.

UNMISS must robustly implement its civilian protection mandate. The international community should immediately enhance UNMISS' capabilities through the provision of additional aviation assets, including tactical military helicopters and unarmed unmanned aerial systems. If armed clashes in Juba and elsewhere resume, the UNSC should authorize the deployment of additional troops to support UNMISS. The government and SPLA-IO must ensure that UNMISS has the ability to move freely to all parts of the country without threats to its personnel and respect the inviolability of UN compounds.

The AU should expeditiously establish the HCSS and ensure it has the resources to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for mass atrocities committed since December 2013. The government, AU and the international community must hold those responsible for atrocities in South Sudan accountable, regardless of affiliation or position.

Last Updated: 15 July 2016

Warring parties, international community and UN peacekeeping force must do more to protect civilians and aid agencies

Juba, 28 July, 2016 – South Sudan faces a spiralling humanitarian crisis as the recent surge in fighting prevents aid agencies from providing urgent help to millions of people in need. Violence and insecurity continue in Juba and are spreading to other states despite a fragile ceasefire in a country where half the population relies on humanitarian aid, ten aid agencies warned today.

The aid agencies – CARE, Christian Aid, Danish Refugee Council, Global Communities, International Rescue Committee, Internews, Jesuit Refugee Service, Mercy Corps, Oxfam and Relief International – are calling on the Government of South Sudan and the opposition to fully implement the ceasefire in the capital Juba and throughout the country. The government and the UN peacekeeping force, UNMISS, must also ensure that humanitarian agencies can operate safely in order to get aid to those who need it.

Even before the latest fighting which rocked South Sudan on 7 July, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of independence, 4.8 million people did not have enough to eat and 2.5 million people had fled their homes. The fighting in Juba left at least 300 dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, leaving many more people without enough food, water or shelter.

“Once again, we risk failing the people of South Sudan at a time when they most need our help. Many aid agencies have had to suspend or limit life-saving work due to the continuing fighting and insecurity, and it is the most vulnerable people who are paying the price. The international community must redouble its efforts to find a solution to this crisis – nothing will protect civilians like a peace that is fully implemented. The status quo is simply not enough,” said Kate Phillips-Barrasso, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at the International Rescue Committee.

Because of the insecurity, many agencies had to temporarily reduce their personnel to essential staff only. Warehouses of food, water and life-saving materials have been looted even after the ceasefire declaration. In a country that has only 200km of paved road, ongoing fighting and restrictions on internal flights have meant that agencies cannot travel freely to deliver help, and cannot restock their bases across the country with basic supplies needed to support operations and materials needed for humanitarian projects.

The violence has also meant that banks for not fully operational making it difficult to transfer cash to pay staff and purchase goods, and many suppliers have closed their operations, limiting the procurement of essential supplies.

“If security conditions deteriorate further, providing aid will become logistically impossible. Humanitarian aid has probably already prevented famine in hard-to-reach parts of South Sudan - if aid agencies cannot operate fully the consequences could be catastrophic,” said Zlatko Gegic, South Sudan Country Director at Oxfam.

Aid organisations are calling on the UN Security Council to ensure the performance of UNMISS is improved in order to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian organisations can work freely and safely across the country. The whole international community and senior UN officials also have a role to play in ensuring that the government provides access to aid agencies to all people in need.

“The inability of UNMISS to protect civilians threatens to undermine any attempts at safety and security in the country and makes it impossible for humanitarian agencies to provide the help that is so urgently needed. UNMISS must fulfil its mandate to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel and facilitate humanitarian assistance,” said Frederick McCray, South Sudan Country Director at CARE.

“Ultimately South Sudan needs a lasting peace. All stake-holders must work to promote peace, non-violent conflict resolution, and tolerance during these highly volatile times. We urge both sides to respect the ceasefire and work together to find a sustainable solution. The people of South Sudan have suffered too much and too long,” said Deepmala Mahla, South Sudan Country Director at Mercy Corps.

For more information and to arrange interviews contact:

• In Atlanta for CARE: Holly Frew, +1-770-842-6188 or hfrew@care.org

• In New York for the International Rescue Committee: Juliette Delay, +1-646-477-4170 or Juliette.delay@rescue.org

• In Washington, DC for Mercy Corps: Christine Bragale, +1-202-469-8470, +1-202-834-7900 or CBragale@mercycorps.org

• In London for Oxfam: Lisa Rutherford, +44-207-802-9994, +44-7917-791836 or Lrutherford@oxfam.org.uk

Editor’s Notes:

During the 7th to 11th July clashes between government and opposition troops in Juba civilian neighbourhoods were shelled and thousands fled to UN compounds which were also directly hit, rendering them unsafe for the thousands of displaced people seeking refuge.

Humanitarian supplies have been massively looted, even after the ceasefire. On 13 July, the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse was looted and 4,500 metric tons of food were stolen -- enough to feed 220,000 people for a month. Office equipment, fuel, and vehicles were also looted. WFP estimated the value of the losses at approximately US$20 million.

In December 2015 inter-agency food security analyst group the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warned that 40,000 people were at risk of falling into famine between January and March 2016 in Unity State. Improved access to populations in need meant this risk was narrowly averted. Aid agencies returned to Leer – one of the most conflict-affected counties in the country – in December 2015 after seven months of inaccessibility due to fighting and blocks on access. The renewal of hostilities in July 2016 has forced many to evacuate again.

South Sudan: Government forces continue to commit war crimes despite peace agreement

Amid a fresh outbreak of fighting in South Sudan, a new report by Amnesty International reveals the true horror suffered by civilians at the hands of government forces after the August 2015 peace agreement was signed.

“We are still running”: War crimes in Leer, South Sudan, details how South Sudanese government forces and allied militia hunted down and killed civilians, raped and abducted women, stole cattle and torched villages in opposition strongholds in Leer County, Unity State, between August and December 2015.

“These war crimes and other abuses committed across the country are the result of ongoing impunity that continues to fuel conflict in South Sudan, as seen in recent weeks of renewed fighting,” said Lama Fakih, Senior Crisis Advisor at Amnesty International.

“The murders, rapes and abductions of civilians must be promptly, impartially and effectively investigated, and those reasonably suspected of criminal responsibility brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.”

The report details shocking accounts of violence meted out on individuals and entire villages by government forces and allied militia in blatant violation of the August 2015 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar. Leer is Machar’s home county.

Many of the 71 people interviewed identified men and women shot dead as they fled their attackers and others executed at point-blank range. They also described how children and elderly people were burnt alive in their homes, with girls and women abducted and raped multiple times by multiple soldiers, and others killed for resisting rape. Nyamile, a woman who witnessed the attack on Adok Payam on 28 October, recounted seeing six girls tied, raped and then abducted. She said: “We elected the president and now he is killing us … now because of this we tell the international community to tell Kiir to stop killing us. Women are suffering a lot. One woman was used [raped] by six men.”

Among the interviewees were 26 women and girls who had escaped or been freed from captivity, many of whom were subject to repeated sexual and physical violence while being held.

Women and girls in particular were abducted and forced to act as porters carrying soldiers’ looted goods from the attacked villages, forced to cook and perform other domestic activities at fighters’ encampments. Some of those who tried to escape were killed by their captors, others fled yet some remain in captivity.

All witnesses and survivors interviewed said the soldiers who attacked them were wearing army camouflage. One woman said: “The uniform was the one for Salva Kiir.”

Nyangun, one of the women who survived the attack on Adok Payam in November 2015, told Amnesty International: “They came at night … I ran with my relatives and children to the swamp … One man [a trader] died behind us … he was shot in the back.”

Maluth, a father of three who survived the attack on Gondor Payam in November 2015, said: “The enemies came. We ran to the river. They shot [and killed] my brother in the river. And they shot [and killed] my step-mom in her home. Then they caught my sister and my wife and they took them to the river and raped them. Then they burnt the houses.”

Nyewutda, a 31-year-old woman who lost five of her friends in the attack on Toch Reah Island in September, said: “When the government forces came, we ran away with our cattle to Bul. My cattle were taken by the government. We were standing in the water for four days, which is why my toenails fell off.”

Nyamot, an elderly woman who survived the attack on Gondor Payam, said: “The soldiers found my husband hiding in the bush. They shot him in the head, in the chest and in the back … I saw my husband get killed but I kept hiding.”

No effort has been undertaken to this day to identify and hold to account those responsible for these callous attacks on civilians.

“The South Sudanese government must ensure the immediate release and safe return of abducted women and girls to their communities, and support the speedy establishment of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to prosecute those who bear the gravest responsibility,” said Lama Fakih.

“If it fails to do so, all states should consider invoking the principle of universal jurisdiction to ensure accountability for these and other crimes under international law.”

Names have been changed to protect interviewees’ identities.

Background

The report is based on research that Amnesty International conducted in January and February 2016 in Unity State, South Sudan.

In March 2016, Amnesty International released a briefing detailing the deliberate suffocation of more than 60 men and boys in shipping containers in Leer, Unity State in October 2015 and called for an end to unlawful killings by the armed forces.

South Sudan became an independent country on 9 July 2011 after decades of war, lengthy negotiations and a referendum to secede from Sudan. It plunged into civil war two years later after President Salva Kiir accused his influential deputy, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup.

Since the beginning of the civil war, thousands of people have been killed and entire towns and villages left in ruins. More than 2.3 million South Sudanese have fled their homes, with some 1.7 million internally displaced and another 600,000 living in neighbouring countries as refugees.

After two years of on-and-off peace talks, the two leaders agreed to a peace deal in August 2015 and later formed a transitional unity government with President Kiir at the helm and Machar as one of his two deputies.

Renewed fighting broke out in July 2016 with heavy clashes in the capital Juba, and in other parts of the country, including Leer County, where government forces once again attacked villages.

Foreword

As widely known, conflict is a leading cause of hunger – each famine in the modern era has been characterized by conflict. Hunger can also contribute to violence, and may act as a channel through which wider socio-economic and political grievances are expressed.

Here is an overview of some key numbers: people in conflictaffected states are up to three times more likely to be undernourished than those who are living in more stable developing countries1. The most recent projections suggest that approximately half of the global poor now live in states characterized by conflict and violence. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have a strong interest, and a potentially important role to play, in supporting transitions towards peace.

Conflict undermines food security in multiple ways: destroying crops, livestock and agricultural infrastructure, disrupting markets, causing displacement, creating fear and uncertainty over fulfilling future needs, damaging human capital, and contributing to the spread of disease, amongst others. Conflict also creates access problems for governments and humanitarian organizations, which often struggle to reach those in need.

When populations feel that their governments are not adequately addressing hunger needs, or are addressing them in inequitable manners, resentment and tension may arise. Similarly, rising food prices may leave people without the ability to meet the needs of their households and may contribute to protests, riots and instability. Over one-third of countries classified as “fragile” in 2015, had experienced recent conflicts, reflecting dynamic interrelationships among poverty (including hunger), governance and conflict.

The 2030 Agenda recognizes peace as a vital threshold condition for development, as well as a development outcome in its own right, and recognizes that conflict impacts negatively on, and can inhibit, sustainable development. Addressing hunger can be a meaningful contribution to peacebuilding2. To this end, food security analyses aim at identifying marginalized individuals and communities to ensure the equitable and inclusive provision of assistance to the ones most in need.

This report’s purpose is to shed light on the impact of conflicts on food security and nutrition, as well as to draw greater attention to the millions of people that are in urgent need of assistance, thus building on the efforts to both help prevent conflict, and sustain peace.

José Graziano da Silva,
FAO Director-General,

Ertharin Cousin,
WFP Executive Director

Crisis overview

Following the escalation of conflict in Juba on 7-11 July the situation across South Sudan has remained tense and clashes have been reported across the country. Immediately after the events in Juba a notable increase in violence was reported in Magwi and Torit counties in Eastern Equatoria. Clashes are likely ongoing. People are fleeing the area in anticipation of more heavy fighting. It is expected that the ceasefire in place since 11 July will not hold and violence will continue to spread. Between 7-27 July more than 37,500 people fled to Uganda, at a rate of 2,000 – 4,000 people per day. If clashes are ongoing it is also likely that thousands of people are currently internally displaced in Eastern Equatoria.

Key findings

Anticipated scope and scale

Conflict: The political environment appears increasingly fragile and the opposition has become more fragmented. The ceasefire in place since 11 July, seems unlikely to hold and conflict in Juba will resume. This is likely to trigger an intensification of conflict in Eastern Equatoria and elsewhere.

Displacement: As clashes intensify more people are likely to be displaced internally as well as to neighbouring countries, triggering a regional crisis.

Priorities for humanitarian intervention

• Protection: Reports of indiscriminate killings against civilians and sexual violence.

• Shelter: An unknown number of homes have been burned down.

• Health: As conflict triggers movement of people, containing the cholera outbreak is a priority: at least one case reported in Torit.

Humanitarian constraints

Attacks and looting of humanitarian supplies are occurring regularly in South Sudan. Access is made more difficult due to flooding as a result of the current rainy season. Flights are often cancelled due to lack of runway space.

In Numbers

4.8 million
People severely food insecure (IPC Phases 3, 4 and 5, May–July 2016)

>2.4 million
People displaced by conflict ‒ nearly 15 000 in Juba alone due to latest violence

Key Messages

• Recent violence is expected to exacerbate already unprecedented levels of malnutrition and food insecurity in Juba and across South Sudan. The latest IPC projection of 4.8 million people facing severe food insecurity is anticipated to rise, with some areas facing hunger crises.

• Information collection and analysis on the deteriorating food security situation is critical to inform humanitarian response to the latest crisis and ensure that hardest hit populations receive urgent support. Accurate and comprehensive data is vital to programming as the situation evolves on the ground.

• Violence in Juba and other areas has disrupted the food supply to markets and led to new displacements. With harvest and preparations for second season in the ‘green belt’ due in August/September, it is critical that the situation stabilizes.

• Despite the loss of critical supplies that were destined for vulnerable households, FAO has already identified some stocks to continue providing emergency livelihood kits for a rapid response campaign.

Background

Severe food insecurity is affecting some 4.8 million people – over one-third of the population – between July and August 2016, according to the results of the recently released IPC. However, the serious unrest that began in Juba on 7 July is expected to exacerbate the already extremely high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity in South Sudan. Without a return to stability that will allow agricultural production to continue, livestock to move normally and markets to re-open, the situation could rapidly become catastrophic. Under normal conditions, harvesting of the main maize and sorghum crop would begin in August and run through December; while the planting of a second season in the ‘green belt’ would take place by August. The country's food security depends on these activities taking place without impediment. A full and lasting cessation of hostilities is essential to prevent a deepening food crisis and allow the humanitarian community to resume its work to help the people of South Sudan feed themselves.

The European Commission has today announced €40 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for people affected by the crisis in South Sudan, bringing the total support from the Commission to €103 million for 2016.

The funding comes as the humanitarian situation worsens in the country, with 15 000 people displaced following the eruption of renewed fighting in the capital Juba earlier this month.

"The recent deadly escalation of hostilities in South Sudan is extremely worrying and threatens the very fragile situation in the country. The EU stands by those most in need caught up in the conflict. The emergency aid will address the overall deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, providing crucial supplies such as food and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and health care. I urge all parties to respect their obligation to grant unhindered and safe humanitarian access to those in need. Furthermore, the systematic looting of humanitarian facilities is unacceptable and must stop immediately," said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

The recent violence has made the already fragile food supply and nutrition situation in the country reach critical levels in many areas. Access to medicine throughout the country is limited, with humanitarian organisations providing the majority of health care.

Together the European Commission and Member States are providing more than 43% of the overall humanitarian response in the country.

Background

Having recently marked the 5th anniversary of independence, South Sudan is the world's youngest country, yet it is already facing one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.

Over 2 million people have been displaced both inside and outside South Sudan. Nearly 5 million people out of a total population of around 11.2 million are estimated to be severely food insecure. The South Sudanese conflict has also been marked by violations of international humanitarian law and serious human rights abuses.

Humanitarian access remains difficult and challenging. Before the latest upsurge of violence, 55 humanitarian workers were killed in the country since the conflict started in December 2013. The operational environment for relief agencies worsened in 2016 due to rising criminality, insecurity in large parts of the country and as a result of obstruction and taxation by authorities. The recent conflict has also been marked by extensive and systematic looting by all armed actors.

Despite having relocated some non-essential staff from the most affected areas in this last escalation of violence, EU humanitarian partners remain active in the field and already providing much needed life-saving assistance to the most affected. The boosted funding announced today will allow them to respond to newly arising needs.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 120 cases of Acute Jaundice Syndrome in Sortony, North Darfur.

• Funding challenges for mobile health clinics supporting IDPs in Blue Nile State.

• South Sudanese refugees in East Darfur to be relocated.

• Almost 43,000 people affected by rains and flooding in parts of Sudan.

FIGURES 2016 HRP

Displaced people in Sudan (as of Dec 2015) - Up to 3.2 million

Displaced people in Darfur (as of Dec 2015) - Up to 2.6 million

GAM caseload - 2.1 million

South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (registered by UNHCR) - as of 30 June 2016 - 232,250

Refugees of other nationalities (registered by UNHCR) - as of 30 June 2016 - 133,210

FUNDING

214 million US$ received in 2016

22.5% Reported funding

Acute Jaundice Syndrome cases in North Darfur

Between 18 and 24 July 45 new cases of suspected Acute Jaundice Syndrome (AJS) were reported in Sortony, an area in North Darfur hosting people displaced due to hostilities in Jebel Marra which started in January this year. This brings the total to 121 cases since May 2016, including two deaths (both were children), according to the international NGO (INGO) Médecins Sans Frontières-España (MSF-E) and the World Health Organization (WHO). AJS is an epidemic-prone, water borne disease, with a faecal-oral route of transmission through contaminated water, and can be a symptom of different epidemic-prone diseases including dengue, hepatitis A or E and yellow fever.

WHO reported that 61 per cent of the cases are male, 9 per cent are children below 5 years of age and 32 per cent of the patients needed hospitalization. Seven samples were sent by the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) and WHO for laboratory analysis and all tested positive for Hepatitis E virus. AJS outbreaks mostly occur in areas where people live in cramped conditions, with poor water supply and insufficient sanitation and hygiene facilities, such as Sortony. There are significant health risks arising as a result of over 4,500 livestock living in close vicinity to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sortony.

The average case fatality during AJS outbreaks is around 1 per cent. However for pregnant women AJS can be serious with mortality rates between 10 and 30 per cent.
Health Sector and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector partners are working with the SMoH to address the causes of the Hepatitis E and diarrhoea cases in Sortony, by ensuring that all water supplies are chlorinated, providing sanitation and hygiene equipment, and conducting awareness sessions and home visits in the community

Highlights

• Cholera response continues in Juba as cases increase
• IOM provides emergency aid to displaced in Juba and Wau
• Thousands remain cut-off from aid south of Wau town

IOM teams continue lifesaving humanitarian activities across South Sudan, where more than 6.1 million people are in need of assistance. Since December 2013, the crisis has displaced 2.3 million people, including 717,300 who have fled to neighbouring countries and more than 1.61 million others who remain internally displaced.

Humanitarian needs remain high in Wau town, Western Bahr el Ghazal, since fighting broke out in late June. An IOM rapid response team remains on the ground to support an estimated 78,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs). However, access to displaced populations located in areas south of Wau town remains hindered, cutting off thousands from humanitarian aid.

As camp manager at the displacement site near the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base in Wau, IOM is relocating IDPs to areas of the site improved to mitigate the impact of the rainy season and overcrowding.

Approximately 12,000 people remain displaced due to fighting that broke out in Juba on 7 July and continued until a ceasefire was declared between the warring parties on 11 July. 4,000 people are sheltering at the UNMISS peacekeeping base in Tong Ping and 6,830 new arrivals remain at the UNMISS protection of civilians (PoC) site at UN House, where 28,000 people were registered prior to the 7 July fighting. An additional 1,250 people are sheltering in community centres, churches and other areas in town.

IOM is coordinating closely with partners to assess needs and provide emergency aid to civilians in Juba, running a clinic at the UNMISS Tong Ping site, providing safe drinking water and camp management support and ensuring IDPs have access to shelter during the rainy season.

IOM is supporting the Health Cluster response to a cholera outbreak. Since 12 July, health agencies have reported more than 270 cholera cases, including 14 deaths. IOM is supporting cholera surveillance, treatment and prevention across Juba.

Key points

• According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)’s Financial Tracking Service (FTS), donors have committed/contributed US$620.3 million of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since the start of 2016.

• The United States (US) is the largest donor to South Sudan, contributing 24% of total funding so far in 2016 (US$147.5 million). The five largest donors account for 65% of the reported funding in 2016.

• The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$21.6 million (US$20.8 million in 2016 plus late disbursement from the 2015 allocation) to emergencies in the country in 2016 – all funded through the Rapid Response window.

• The UN-coordinated South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016 has requested US$1.29 billion from donors. The appeal is currently 40% covered at US$520.2 million.

Recent humanitarian funding to South Sudan

Donors have reported commitments/contributions totalling US$620.3 million of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan so far in 2016.

The US is the largest donor, having committed US$147.5 million, accounting for nearly a quarter (24%) of the total reported funding. The next largest contributions have come from the European Union (EU) institutions (includes the European Commission and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department), with reported commitments/contributions of US$95.7 million (15% of total funding in 2016); followed by the United Kingdom (UK) (US$70.8 million), Germany (US$44.2 million) and Canada (US$43.8 million). Funding from these five donors combined represents 65% of total reported funding so far in 2016.

Facts & Figures

Since fighting erupted in December 2013:
- More than 1.61 million internally displaced people according to UN estimates
- Over 200 000 people seeking refuge at UN Mission compounds (UNMIS)
- Over 831 000 South Sudanese refugees & asylum seekers in neighbouring countries (UNHCR)
- 55 aid workers killed by warring parties (UNOCHA)
- About 4.8 million people experiencing food shortages
- Number of refugees from neighbouring countries in South Sudan: over 263 000 (UNHCR)

Other facts

• Population: officially 8.26 million, but 11.6m estimated
  
• Child mortality: 110/1000
  
• 1 in 7 children under 5 suffers from acute malnutrition
  
• European Commission humanitarian assistance in 2016: €103.2 million so far

Key messages

• The humanitarian crisis and suffering in South Sudan have reached alarming proportions. The country ranks second in the European Commission's Global Vulnerability and Crisis Assessment index (after the Central African Republic).

• Fighting, violations of international humanitarian law and grave human rights abuses continue unabated. Reports of sexual violence, including rape, by soldiers in uniform have increased dramatically in the capital Juba.

• Almost 2.45 million South Sudanese are displaced, representing around 20% of the country’s population. 1.61 million people are displaced inside South Sudan while more than 831 000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.

• 4.8 million people - about 40% of the population – are likely to experience severe food insecurity during the lean season.

• Access restrictions and violence continue to obstruct humanitarian operations. 55 humanitarian workers have been killed since the beginning of the conflict. It is vital to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to the populations in need.

• The EU is among the biggest donors of humanitarian aid in South Sudan. So far in 2016, it has provided more than 40% of all humanitarian financing to support life-saving programmes.