A Nation Divided

Officials Fear Escalating Violence Will Hinder Humanitarian Aid Efforts

In a nation marked by more conflict than peace in its brief history, solutions to quelling the violence in war weary South Sudan remain elusive. 

Marauding militias and armed communal youth groups growing in numbers threaten to soon outgun the nation’s own defense forces, jeopardizing the work of humanitarian groups throughout the region. This instability prevents crucial aid deliveries – food relief and medicines greatly needed by much of the population. 

Yakani said the violence is “undermining the genuine implementation” of the 2018 peace agreement, which was meant to bring stability between the opposing forces backing President, Salva Kiir versus Vice President, Riek Machar.

“The country is breaking into pieces…”

While the two reigning politicians are said to work in relative peace in the capitol, some portions of the country have erupted in violent outbreaks. 2022 has already been a deadly year for the nation, with over 200 people killed in the month of June alone.

Some analysts say the violence escalated after the cancellation of Pope Francis’ planned visit to South Sudan, which was hoped would “encourage faith in a country damaged by years of war.”

The trip was canceled due to the Pope’s ongoing knee problem, and the Vatican’s Secretary of State, second-ranking Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was sent in his place.

Other conflicts result from cattle raids or deeply entrenched tribal hatred. Nicholas Haysom, UN representative to South Sudan, told the Security Council last month more than 80% of civilian casualties this year are “attributed to intercommunal violence and community-based militias.” He noted the scale the conflict has reached is “alarming.”

James Akot, a political science scholar in Juba, agrees. “The country is breaking into community defense forces that can actually overpower our army soon.”

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/explosion-violence-south-sudan-threatens-peace-pact-86997353

Sudan Relief Fund Highlighted in EWTN Nightly News

“It was an extraordinary trip and a very powerful one as well.”

EWTN News Nightly, a Catholic media outlet reaching more than 100 million households worldwide, recently aired coverage of a trip newsroom correspondent, Colm Flynn, made to South Sudan.

While Flynn was in the country covering the Vatican’s trip to the region, he reported on projects highlighting the work of Sudan Relief Fund in the capital city of Juba and the area of Rumbek.

In the report, Flynn described his visit to St. Clare’s Home for Children, an orphanage directed by Father Federico and supported by Sudan Relief Fund. “These children come from very dangerous situations, living on the streets of Juba,” Flynn said. “Most of them lost their parents to the war. Or their parents, too, are on the streets. They’re left to fend for themselves.”

Flynn continued. “We went to the orphanage, who cares for them as best they can with the very little resources they have. They give them a bed, they give them food, and also education. We interviewed some of the children who told us how happy they were to be off the streets and now in safety.”

Flynn’s team also traveled to the rural community of Malo, a village outside Rumbek in the central part of the country, where over four thousand people live in a leper colony. Sudan Relief Fund partner, Noeleen Loughran, accompanied the reporters. Previously the people were on the brink of death from illness and starvation, until Noeleen discovered their dire condition.

Since then, she has worked through Sudan Relief Fund with the help of donors to turn the tide for this community of people. Said Flynn, “(Noeleen) has been working with the people there, bringing them food, life changing medication, and building them homes as well, to protect them from the wild animals like the hyenas. All this work has been funded by the Sudan Relief Fund.”

He described, “It was extremely powerful being there, and quite emotional as well. Because you see these beautiful people who have absolutely nothing – many missing fingers, toes, entire feet due to leprosy – but still being able to smile and be joyful in the midst of everything. That really was extraordinary.”

Flynn’s team witnessed the encroaching conditions threatening to develop into a crisis of food insecurity throughout the nation. “Now the country of South Sudan is even facing a famine. Many people will probably starve in the next number of years. This is due to the global increase in food prices as a result of the war in Ukraine. And on top of that, South Sudan has experienced in the last two years flooding and then drought. So that has decimated their own crops.”

Flynn’s report shared the welcoming spirit of the people they visited and how eager they were to have their stories told. “The reality is that still today the need there is so, so great, it’s hard to put into words.”

View full report here.

Pope Sends Top Cardinal to South Sudan in his Stead,
Urges Nation to Hold Out Hope

Due to health complications, Pope Francis postponed a trip to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan that was slated for July 1-8. Apologizing for his absence, he appointed his Secretary of State and the Vatican’s highest ranking official following the Pope, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to make the trip on his behalf.

Pope Francis has struggled with knee pain and was recently seen in public using a wheelchair or assisted by a cane. He is reportedly undergoing physical therapy for the ailment.

The Pope apologized for missing the visit and expressed sorrow “for having to postpone this trip, which means so much to me.” He prayed that “with the help of God and medical attention, I will be able to be with you as soon as possible.”

On the same day of announcing the trip’s postponement, Pope Francis issued a message to the two countries urging reconciliation and telling the residents not to lose hope. In his video message, he emphasized how the people of DRC and South Sudan have been “that much closer to my heart,” and that he carries “the pain that you have endured for all too long.”

“Youth deserve to see their dreams come true and to experience peace….
It is necessary to lay down arms.” – Pope Francis

Pope Francis called on the nations to “blaze new trails, new paths of reconciliation and forgiveness, of serene coexistence and of development,” and challenged the leadership of both nations to accept this “great mission.”

“It is a mission you must take up together. A mission that entails looking to the future, looking to the many young people in your lands, so rich in promise and yet so troubled, in order to offer them a brighter future,” he exhorted.

Pope Francis continued, “Youth dream and deserve to see their dreams come true and to experience peace. For their sake, above all, it is necessary to lay down arms, to overcome all resentment, and to write new pages of fraternity.”

Referring to the ongoing national peace process negotiations in South Sudan, the Pope noted how its nation’s people are “weary of violence and poverty” and are still awaiting concrete results.

He concluded his message by reassuring the people their tears and prayers are not in vain, and their consolation of God will come. Pope Francis expressed his intent to reschedule the trip, although no dates have been formally set at this time.

Read more here.

Global Effects of Russia-Ukraine War Intensify Crises in Africa

As all eyes turn to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, fallout from the effects of that conflict quietly compound already mounting crises in Africa and other parts of the world, now being largely forgotten.

Humanitarian Aid Drying Up

Humanitarian aid earmarked for emergencies in the Horn of Africa has been siphoned away for redistribution toward the Ukrainian effort. Charitable contribution income relied upon from individuals and organizations worldwide is also considerably lower, as donors switch their support to the current war effort in eastern Europe.

Drought and Famine Mounting

Meanwhile, drought and famine in countries of this African region are intensifying, even as food insecurity is worsened by interrupted grain shipments normally arriving through eastern European transportation routes. Those shipments have been held up since the beginning of the outbreak between Russia and Ukraine, heightening food insecurity.

“With all the attention in the media and the sort of geopolitical priorities that Ukraine comprises, the amount of additional assistance for other parts of the world….is going to be pretty constrained,” said Daniel Maxwell, Professor in Food Security at Tuft University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. “We should be able to think about two problems at once. But I’m not sure there’s evidence we’re fully doing that.”

Sukaina Sharafuddin, an aid worker from Yemen, noted the disparity in public fundraising is occurring because people of donor nations “feel more connected to what’s happening in Ukraine.”

Media Coverage Lacking

Media coverage is also a factor. While 91 percent responded to a recent poll by the Christian Aid charity stating they were aware of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, only 23 percent were even aware there was a crisis in the Horn of Africa, where nations are suffering the worst drought in 40 years, putting millions in danger of starvation.

“People just don’t seem interested” in helping, said the regional spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in East Africa, Abdikarim Mohamed. He indicated that affected nations were now almost totally dependent on state-backed aid, which is traditionally minimal or in some countries like South Sudan, virtually nonexistent.

Aid organizations fear the situation will only intensify, reaching calamitous proportions before garnering world attention. “Yes, there is donor fatigue,” said Mohamed. “But the scale of the problem is now hitting levels where we need governments to try to focus on preventing these people from dying.” Read more here.

Millions in South Sudan Risk Starvation
As Humanitarian Crisis Worsens

Slashed Funding for Food Programs, Ukrainian War Effort, Intensify Hunger

Nearly 2 million people could die of starvation this year in South Sudan alone, and millions more in the Horn of Africa, as food shortages continue to worsen to disastrous levels.

Funding Cuts

With just 44 percent of its typical annual funding, cuts in the UN World Food Programme’s budget couldn’t fall at a worse time, as the organization is forced to decide how to allocate greatly reduced amounts of aid to South Sudan and other at-risk nations – in essence, determining who will eat this year, and who won’t.

Humanitarian funds continue to be diverted to the Ukrainian war effort – relief which nations like South Sudan and neighboring countries depend on, especially after two years of record floods that destroyed crops and livestock, and with the onset of this year’s devastating drought.

Supply Interference

Interruptions in the global supply of cooking oil, maize, and wheat have been felt worldwide, but especially in South Sudan where shipments typically come from Ukraine to the nation via Uganda. Due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, those crucial shipments remain suspended.

Soaring Prices

Collateral increases in food prices, up 36 percent from last year’s cost of groceries, are placing further hardship on the people of South Sudan. Many parts of the nation have been unable to grow food for the past two years because of the widespread flooding – the worst in 60 years – and dependence on food from outside sources is higher than usual.

Another report indicated the cost of sorghum and maize – typical wheat substitutes – has gone up as much as 59 percent. A corresponding 40 percent hike in fuel costs means an added $2.8 million is needed by food programs just to distribute relief. 

South Sudan now faces its worst food shortage since the country’s inception in 2011 when the new nation was coming out of years of warfare. What food supply does exist is out of reach in cost to much of the population. This comes at a time when the UN has reallocated and reduced aid, creating the life threatening scenario to spawn a catastrophic hunger crisis.

Threat of Starvation Rises

“It’s a drastic cut because it’s a third of the total people that we know require food assistance,” said Marwa Awad, WFP spokesperson in the capital city of Juba. “We had to decide who to keep assisting and who we can afford to suspend assistance from.”

However, Awad said she is “very worried” about the 1.7 million people who will be cut off from support. “They are (already) food insecure,” she noted. “If aid is not given to support them, they will slide further down the scale of hunger and reach starvation level.”

Hitting the Most Vulnerable – the Children

The slashed support will affect school food programs – one of the most important safety nets for the country’s children. For a large percentage of children, the meal they receive at school is the only one they get each day. It is a driving factor keeping many children in school, in a country with one of the worst school attendance and literacy rates in the world.

The suspension of school food programs is expected to impact 178,000 children. Reports already circulate of children dropping out to work in mines, cattle camps, or to beg on the streets from passersby who have nothing to spare themselves.

The World Food Programme stated it will now be forced to prioritize 4.5 million of the most vulnerable people in order to prevent them from dying of starvation. The most recent IPC assessment (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) forewarned 7.74 million people in South Sudan will face severe acute hunger during the lean season this year and 1.3 million children will be acutely malnourished.

Said Awad, “We need donors to be generous again. And support people here.”