FROM: Unicef OLS,
DATE: 6/11/99 8:52 AM
Weekly Report: 31 May - 6 June 1999
UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES
Operation Lifeline Sudan (Southern Sector)
General Situation
Insecurity in parts Upper Nile continued this week, with Padit,
Gumriak and Tagil burnt and looted on 3 June. Assessment teams
into Nyal and Ganyiel reported about that about 7,000 had been
displaced to that location from Leer, Duar and Koch areas in
western Upper Nile.
Meanwhile Ikotos and Narus in eastern equatoria were bombed.
Bahr el Ghazal Conference
The Bahr el Ghazal Conference took place on the 29 to 31 June in
Mapel, Bahr el Ghazal. The conference organised by the
UNICEF/OLS Capacity Building section discussed beneficiary
rights, re-establishing resilience and sustainable livelihoods. SPLM
and SRRA officials, OLS and non-OLS agencies attended the
conference. This year's conference was remarkable because unlike
previous year's, parties went beyond finger pointing and discussed
how they could improve issues.
The conference concluded with the following declarations:
- The conference underscored the need for strong institutions for
maintaining law and order through deterrence and taking punitive
measures on offenders.
- The conference also recognised the need for just peace and
security as a component to rehabilitation and development.
- The conference endorsed the agreements reached at Wunlit during
the Dinka-Nuer peace talks.
- The conference recognised the fundamental need for an effective
and strong political will at all levels.
- The conference acknowledged the need for proactively moving
from relief to rehabilitation and development.
A report on the conference will be ready in a few weeks.
Meetings & Workshops
A UNHCR Workshop on the protection of refugees will be held in
Lokichokkio on 10th June at the Intereact Hall in Lokichokkio.
There is space for about 12 more people. Agencies interested in
participating in the workshop have been asked to forward their
names to George Cooke, UNICEF/OLS Programme Co-ordinator
based in Lokichokkio.
The security workshop commenced on the 5 June at the Intereact
Hall in Lokichokkio. The workshop will run through to the 7 June.
A Household Food Security workshop will be held in Lokichokkio
on 9 June. Agencies have been requested to return seeds and tools
distribution formats, for the just concluded distribution
exercise.
A workshop on "the current use and value of indigenous wild food
plants and their potential for the people of southern Sudan in
the future" was held in Lokichokkio on 3-5 June 1999. The
workshop was organised by CRS and USAID. A report on the
workshop is expected in a few weeks time.
Programme
An assessment team to Nyal and Ganyiel, Upper Nile held a
debriefing session to programme heads in Lokichokkio on 1 June.
The team established that there was movement of people from
other
parts of Upper Nile to Ganyiel and Nyal. Recent reports indicated
that numerous populations fleeing fighting in Duar, Koch and Leer
in western Upper Nile had fled to Nyal and Ganyiel.
There are 3,000 people displaced into Nyal out of which 450 men
and 2,250 women as well as children. Another 4,000 people have
been displaced into Ganyiel, 1,200 men in Ganyiel and 2,800
women
including children. The people are said to be moving to and from
Nyal and Ganyiel, depending on where there was a WFP food drop.
They have been integrated into the host community while others
are living in the churches. The displaced people have confirmed
that they plan to cultivate in Nyal and Ganyiel and return to
their original homes when the fighting stops. The displaced
reported to have left their homes in a hurry and so did not carry
anything with them.
The immediate needs of the displaced are shelter, food, seeds and
tools, fishing equipment, mosquito nets, cooking pots and
blankets. ICRC has already provided seeds while UNICEF and
WFP have provided blankets, medicines and food.
The assessment team recommended that:
- A monitoring system should be put in place to monitor the
population movement between Nyal and Ganyiel.
- The security situation in Nyal and Ganyiel should continue to
be monitored.
- Relief food and non-food items distribution should go on.
- UNICEF Emergency Response will co-ordinate agencies working
in these two locations for an emergency intervention for both
Ganyiel and Nyal. The team will include WFP, COSV, VSF-B,
ICRC, RASS and UNICEF.
- A small committee was formed to discuss and conclude on the
issue of accurate displaced population figures, which were
disputed at the meeting. The committee will comprise of UNICEF,
WFP, RASS and COSV).
Humanitarian Principles
The National Insurance Corporation recently agreed not to demand
insurance from agencies until agencies, donors and SRRA agreed
upon the Memorandum of Understanding. However, reports of
agencies being stopped and asked to pay for insurance especially
in western and eastern Equatoria are still being received.
Agencies have been advised not to pay for the insurance and to
take up the issue through the UNICEF Humanitarian Principles
programme. Agencies were also advised to continue purchasing
SRRA passes until the work permits issue, also part of the MOU
discussions, was finalised.
Health
Upper Nile / Jonglei monthly geographical meeting was held in
Lokichokkio on 1 June. During the meeting, OLS Security advised
that an emergency assessment of Gumriak and surrounding
locations was required. Any interventions to the location for the
time being should be short term. Agencies planning to return to the
region on a long-term basis were advised against doing so for the
time being. A meeting for agencies planning to return to Gumriak
will be convened shortly.
The IRC community health workers training school will be hold the
graduation ceremony for their students on 18 July. IRC reported
that the areas north of the Sabot, south of Madding and Torpot
had recorded approximately 21 cholera cases.
New cases of tuberculosis and Kala Azar have been reported in
Nyal and Ganyiel. IRC and COSV are treating the cases at the
PHCCs there.
Food Distribution
WFP distributed 1190.66 metric tons of food was distributed to
119, 378 targeted beneficiaries.
During the reporting period, two C-130 Hercules and three Buffalo
aircraft continued to deliver food aid out of Lokichokkio and two
C-130 Hercules and one Ilyushin-76 operated from Khartoum/El
Obeid.
The following table summarises WFP food distribution by location.
Bahr el Ghazal
Location Beneficiaries Quantity of Food in MTS
Baau14,016164
Madhol 24,174251
Lietnohm 16,000123
Turalei 19,638160
Upper Nile/Jonglei
Location Beneficiaries Quantity of Food in MTS
Mabior 12,000113
Nyal32,750138
Assessments
Heavy infestations of armyworms have been reported in Tali
Payam, Juba County in eastern Equatoria by the local NGO,
ACCORD. The extent of crop damage by the pests is not yet
known. There is also talk of the army worms having spread to the
neighbouring counties of Yei and Mundri. Indeed, OXFAM have
confirmed the presence of armyworms in Mundri County. FEWS
has indicate that the infestations is not major enough to worry
about and the natural control for army worms is rain which is
expected to start falling soon in the affected locations.
Camp Issues
The OLS Camp ladies soccer team drew 1-1 with the airstrip ladies
team during a soccer match played to celebrate Madaraka Day on 1
June. Meanwhile the OLS camp men's team beat the ICRC team
two goals to nil during the same event.
DHL on 2 June announced that they had established courier
services between Lokichokkio and Nairobi. Their offices will be
at the Kate Camp.
Visitors
Mme Frances Smith and Paul Filler from ECHO arrived in
Lokichokkio on 1 June. To view WFP activities especially and
airdrop.
The Mainichi Shimbun journalist departed from Nairobi after
covering UNICEF activities in Akon, Luanyaker, Thiet and Mapel.
Meanwhile Mike Crawley from Gemini news moved to Rumbek to
cover the secondary school on 3 June. He is scheduled to visit the
Tambura Farmers Marketing Association in western Equatoria on 6
June.
The ECHO Research team on the "Harmful consequences of
Humanitarian Assistance" visited Akon, Malualkon and are
currently in Nyamlell. The team will visit Panthou and Turalei
next week. The team consists of Phillip Winter, Jok Madut, and
John Ryle.
Holdbrook Arthur the Regional director of WFP Horn of Africa
accompanied by Zlatan Milisic and Lucy Woldu visited the camp
and held a lengthy meeting with WFP staff.
US Senator Sam Brownback (R), House Representative Donald
Payne (D) and Representative Tom Trancbecke (R) visited
Lokichokkio on 4 June hosted by NPA. The delegation departed
for Kakuma immediately after arrival and flew to Labone and Yei
with NPA on 5 June. The team returned to Lokichokkio on 6 June
Lee Peterson the new OLS Security Officer arrived in Lokichokkio
on 5 June. The security team of five is now complete.
Security
31 May Narus was reported bombed today, no report of
casualties or the number of bombs.
1 June Narus was bombed again.
2 June One train left Merriam while two others remained in
that location.
3 June Padit, Gumriak and Tagil was burnt and looted
Ikotos was bombed.
5 June The road from Natinga to New Cush has now been
approved for travel. It had been closed since 21
April. All OLS staff wishing to use this road are to
receive a briefing prior to leaving Loki as the
security risk is deemed high.
Chukudum remains RED NO GO
Turalei was given a greenlight for OLS agencies to
return.
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