Press Release No: (1)
Addis Ababa, March 12, 2014 (SSNA) — The SPLM/A-Humanitarian office has been following the situation of 705,800 Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) across South Sudan. The situation remained volatile in Central Equatoria, Upper Nile, Unity andJonglei. The IDPs population in various UNMISS camps across the country continue to suffer from harshenvironmental conditions as well as direct threat from Government security forces and militias loyal to SalvaKiir. The governement snipers, militias and security forces continue to relentlessly target our people invarious UNMISS camps found in Juba, Melut, Bor and Unity and those moving about their businesses. Thevulnerable civilians that the government displaced into bushes in Unity state are fearing to return homes as the government embarked on civilian targeting. Therefore, their situation is deteriorating since they are subjected to harsh environmental calamities due to lack of shelter, prevalence of mosquitoe vectors and other deadly insects and reptiles biting them in the bushes.
On the 3rd of March 2014, a new clash erupted again in Juba between the Commandos and Tiger battalion on salary issues putting the lives of people in both UN camps at risk. After this incident, many have lost their lives and continued to be targeted by Kiir militias. Now that the rainy season is approaching; the UN camps across South Sudan have witnessed serious shortages of food supplies, sanitation and health services. This will result into serious and deadly malaria, typhoid, bactarial diseases, pneumonia, bloody and watery diahorrea. Over fifty(50) people scramble for one toilet and bathroom making it more easy for bactarial dieases to spread quickly. The shortages of health services and sanitation in the UN camps continue to pose serious threats to our innocent people. The most affected will be elderly people, children, lactating mothers and pregnant women. The malnutrition and lack of feeding is also posing another threat to these vulnerable members of IDPs.
The SPLM/A in oppositon appreciates and continues to support the UN Mission in South Sudan and the good work they are doing to provide protection and security to our people in all war affected zones. Had it not been because of the presence of UNMISS in South Sudan, a genocide of large magnitude similar to 1994 Rwanda genocide would have been committed against our innocent people. The few lives that have run to UNMISS for protection in Juba, Bor, Bentiu could have been finished and killed by government regular security forces and Gelweng or Dootku Beny militias in Juba. The Humanitarian Liason office in Addis Ababa welcomes the UNMISS plan to decongest the two UN camps in Juba by opening another site that will host 10, 000 IDPs. We also welcome the aid agencies’ response to the IDPs displaced by the government forces in Panyijar County at Ganyliel in Unity State. We call upon UNMISS and all aid agencies to step up their efforts and address the worsening situation in UN camps across the country. We also call upon UNMISS to provide security escort to those going to town in Juba looking for food stuffs to support themselves inside UN camps. We call upon aid agencies to deliver humanitarian assistant to 3.2 million affected South Sudanese.
Thanks,