June 19, 2014

Ongoing crisis in South Sudan: The other side of the war

located:	South Sudan, Sudan
editor:	Murat Suner

Oxfam has been present in Southern Sudan since 1983, providing humanitarian aid to victims of conflict, drought and floods, as well as long-term development assistance to some of the most vulnerable communities, focussing on public health, livelihoods and emergency response combined with gender, diversity and conflict-sensitive programming, policy and advocacy work.

The conflict that broke out in South Sudan on 15th December 2013 has left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Vulnerable populations continue to flee ongoing fighting in South Sudan as seasonal rains worsen their already dire living conditions.

Oxfam is currently supporting people affected by the conflict with clean water, sanitation and emergency food security. Over 7 million people are at risk of food insecurity and 4.9 million of them are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Since fighting between government troops and rebel forces erupted last year:

• Over one million people have fled their homes and are now displaced within South Sudan.
• More than 80,000 people have sought refuge at various UN compounds across the country. In Juba, 80 percent of displaced people are women and children.
• More than 350,000 people have fled to neighboring countries, many of whom had to cross the Nile River on their way to Uganda, leaving everything they had behind and risking their lives.
• A cholera outbreak was confirmed mid May, bringing the imminent threat of a health emergency alongside an escalating food crisis.
• Only 15% of people have access to adequate sanitary latrines and 30% do not have access to safe water supply.

With the end of the “month of tranquillity”, which allowed some people to get back to their fields to plant and harvest the coming crops, there is a real danger that a resumption or intensification of hostilities could make all efforts so far count for nothing. It is estimated nearly 4 million people face emergency and crisis levels of hunger as a result of the situation in South Sudan. As many as 2.4 million people could be displaced by the end of the year.

For further information and to support humanitarian aid please read more on Oxfam.