Complex Humanitarian Crisis Continues in South Sudan

In South Sudan, violence has persisted in many parts of the country with seasonal flooding compounding existing humanitarian needs. These episodes of violence have caused many civilian casualties and displacement of 40,000 people.  In South Sudan nearly 4 million people are estimated to be displaced, including 1.5 million IDPs and 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees. In addition, South Sudan hosts nearly 300,000 refugees from Sudan, DRC, Ethiopia and CAR. Although data exists on the drivers of the complex crisis in South Sudan, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is not limited to the already fragile health system but also has a ripple effect on the socio-economic, humanitarian and political state of the nation. Women and children bear the biggest brunt facing severe challenges to their survival, development, learning and protection, compounded by early and forced marriages, teenage pregnancies, conscription and the risk of getting involved in other harmful activities.

[1] https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-needs-overview-2020-november-2019

With women and children reportedly abducted, cattle raided and humanitarian facilities, government buildings and homes destroyed. Due to this continued insecurity, assessments were hindered and responses to the people’s needs delayed. The Humanitarian Country Team has reported the influx of IDPs in Bor from Maar & Pailou (9,000), from Kolmarek 1,400 and another 1,600 from Bor South. Total 12,000. The Inter-Cluster Coordination Group in Juba recommended increasing emergency response capacity in Bor and fast-tracking the deployment of response teams as ongoing conflict continues to displace the population. Logistic Cluster support (air cargo) is likely required for the Duk response as roads to Duk have become impassable for road transport.

In Bor, the RRC State Office formally appealed to humanitarian partners in Bor through OCHA Bor Sub-Office for urgent response to assess the humanitarian situation of the affected communities as well as to assess the level of damage and impact of the floods on the livelihoods of the displaced IDPs, particularly in most affected areas in Bor town. According to RRC reports 2,346 households comprised of 11,784 individuals from 15 villages were affected. During the breakage of dykes during the first week of August additional water flooded the area making the already dire situation even worse. The affected population in Bor is still without support from the agencies to meet food and NFI, health and protection related needs. In addition the due to intercommunal violence in Jonglei, RRC county office in Bor reports that 16,800 individuals (2,858 HH), and estimated 11,200 children moved to Bor town after being displaced from their homes in Duk and Twic East. They crossed by boat and were registered at the docking site. Some of IDPs were initially hosted at the Bor Bright Primary School, Malou Primary school and Malek Secondary schools, but many of them are now among communities within town, as they did not receive any immediate assistance.

In Lankien, an Inter-agency assessment was carried out in Lankien during the exercise there were estimated Nyirol 149,854 and in Akobo - 21,778 individual IDPS from Pieri Guanchat Dhirganwel and individuals returnees from Ethiopia and other nearby bordering countries. In Akobo West the number of IDPs and returnees there are 192,937 individuals.

As per the COVID revised HRP in 2020, 4million people require assistance, this is a 500k horizontal increase from 2019 and a 1.5 million increase than 5 years ago. We’re seeing the silent yet creeping impact of international fatigue which we should each check our conscience on.

Official figures of confirmed cases of COVID-19 likely obscure the true magnitude of the pandemic due to associated social stigma and limited testing capacity. The total number of symptomatic cases is projected to be between 2.8m – 3.4 m, and total deaths between 23,000 and 31,000. Many experts expect this to peak in the coming weeks.

South Sudan has one of the highest under five mortality rates (90.7 deaths per 1,000 live births) and maternal mortality rate (789 deaths per 100,000 live births) worldwide.

South Sudan ranks third (after Yemen and Somalia) in the hierarchy of the 178 countries by Fragile States Index, and has remained so since its independence in 2011.

As per the FEWSNET forecast, the flood prone areas are already in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), in the event of severe flooding some of the households in these areas could deteriorate to Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5). It also states that, Catastrophe (Phase 5) is also likely for ‘pockets of vulnerable households’ amongst the IDPs or others relying on daily labour, and in case of a conflict or other restrictions impeding humanitarian access for longer duration Famine (IPC Phase 5) is likely

The situation in many parts of South Sudan remains complex.  Humanitarian Advisors will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation in South Sudan.