Becky Bakr
NRC’s Emergency Response Team report about worrying humanitarian conditions for the newly displaced in Awerial in South Sudan. NRC has established a new base in the county and is delivering rapid emergency assistance.
The Emergency Response Team has been deployed to South Sudan since mid-January to support NRC’s response to the escalating conflict in South Sudan, which has forced an increasing number of people to flee their homes. Nearly 900.000 people have fled their homes in South Sudan since the political disagreements between President Salva Kiir and former vice President Riek Machar escalated into total war in December last year.
Large numbers of people have been fleeing across the Nile towards Awerial, to escape intense fighting around the city of Bor. People are crossing the river with very few belongings and are living in extremely poor conditions, with multiple families clustering around every tree or bush seeking shelter from the harsh climate. Many still fear further attacks, and clashes between government and opposition forces continue in the area. There is an acute need for shelter, water supply, basic sanitation and household items. It is estimated at over 75.000 people have fled to Awerial, but the number could be much higher due to unregistered populations living in the bush.
The head of NRC’s Emergency Response Team, Shaun Scales, describes the humanitarian situation as worrying:
“The high number of internally displaced people means that children are being born in open conditions with little or no protection from the elements or vector borne diseases”, he says.
Access to the displaced populations for humanitarian actors has been difficult due to a lack of security and continuing clashes.
“Safe access to all populations displaced by this conflict is essential in ensuring that acute needs are met and a further deterioration in living conditions for affected civilian populations across South Sudan is avoided”, Scales adds.
NRC is mobilising all available resources to ensure that the most critical needs are met. Initial distribution of emergency shelter kits and household packages including mosquito nets, cooking sets, blankets and soap to around 30.000 people is underway. Further activities focusing on education, water supply and sanitation are in the pipeline.
In addition to a difficult security situation, future relief efforts will be hampered by South Sudan’s seasonal rains expected to start in April rendering many roads impassable. Widespread flooding in areas occupied by internally displaced people will increase the risk of water and vector borne diseases.
“It is essential that all assisting organisations mobilise further resources, prepare and pre-position sufficient stocks in operational areas before the rains”, Scales says.