Conflict Continues to Drive Displacement in South Sudan (06.09.2016)

displaced-families-wait-for-health-care-assistance-at-the-un-protected-site-in-wau-photo_iom_mohamm

The dynamic nature of the conflict has resulted in the constant movement of civilians as they attempt to escape shifting locations of insecurity.

JUBA, South Sudan, September 6, 2016 – Fighting between armed groups across parts of South Sudan continues to drive displacement, including in areas that had been relatively stable since the crisis broke out in December 2013. The dynamic nature of the conflict has resulted in the constant movement of civilians as they attempt to escape shifting locations of insecurity.

Current population movements are fluid in several areas, including Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Unity, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria and Unity. In the past two months, over 80,000 people have been displaced in Wau and 12,000 in Juba alone.

In southern parts of Central Equatoria, which had previously remained fairly stable, an escalating number of security incidents has pushed large numbers of civilians to leave their homes to seek safety. The movements have been particularly significant from Yei, with multiple reports of targeted violence and harassment against civilians and disruptions in the delivery of aid supplies.

“At the same time as we see the needs continue to grow, access constraints are making it more difficult for humanitarians to access vulnerable people or even measure the scale of displacement and unfolding needs as violence spreads to new locations,” said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Head of Operations.

Many of the recent population movements from Central Equatoria have been across the southern borders to Uganda and Kenya, but increased insecurity in parts of Yei, Morobo and Magwi counties is making it increasingly dangerous for civilians to move and may be preventing people from reaching safer areas.

In Leer, Unity, insecurity has forced civilians to seek protection in nearby islands, while others have reportedly moved south or reached the UN protection of civilians site in Bentiu. These patterns of movement in central Unity may increase as insecurity persists.

On 4 September, IOM joined a UN Security Council delegation to witness first-hand the needs of displaced communities in Wau since heavy fighting in late June. While IOM and humanitarian agencies are providing lifesaving aid at displacement sites across Wau town, access constraints have limited efforts to reach thousands of displaced families in some areas south of town since early July.

IOM recently regained access to Ngisa in southern Wau to deliver essential medicines and evaluate health and water needs. IOM has received reports of people returning to parts of Wau town, which may be a response to improved security in the area or a result of limited access to relief services in areas outside of the town.

More than 1.6 million people are internally displaced across South Sudan, in addition to 786,000 people who have fled to neighbouring countries since December 2013. More than half of the country (6.1 million people) are in need of relief aid.

 

In northern Ethiopia, the Amhara resistance is getting momentum (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr8x8Aof7T4

Amhara Region President Ato Gedu Andargachew Message to the People of Mahara Rigion, Ethiopia (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyUZJfRNrt8

Joint Communique by the Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan and the Members of the United Nations Security Council (05.09.2016)

Salva Kiir Poster

The Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan expressed its determination to implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 5, 2016 – The Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan expressed its determination to implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, in particular the reform agenda, now that the Transitional National Legislative Assembly is in place. 

The members of the United Nations Security Council and the Transitional Government of National Unity agreed to work in a fresh spirit of cooperation to advance the interests of the South Sudanese people, particularly their aspirations for justice, liberty, and prosperity.  They agree that the humanitarian and security needs of the people are Paramount.

To improve the security situation, the Transitional Government of National Unity gave its consent to the deployment, as part of UNMISS, of the Regional Protection Force recently authorized by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2304.  The United Nations Security Council agreed that troop contributors and UNMISS and the Transitional Government of National Unity will continue to work through the modalities of the deployment, building upon the consultations of August 25 and September 1 and anticipating further imminent discussions.

The Transitional Government of National Unity commits to permit free movement of UNMISS in conformity with its mandate, including to protect civilians.  To this end, the Transitional Government of National Unity commits to devising a plan with UNMISS by the end of September 2016 on concrete steps to remove impediments to UNMISS’s ability to implement its mandate, including reviewing procedures related to movement of UNMISS and streamlining bureaucratic processes.  UNMISS commits to inform the Transitional Government of National Unity of all movements and of other details as appropriate.

The Transitional Government of National Unity signals its readiness to implement Chapter V of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, including to work with the African Union in setting up the Hybrid Court for South Sudan as soon as the African Union provides proposals for its work as provided in the Agreement. 

The Transitional Government of National Unity commits to immediately improve humanitarian access, including by providing assistance in eliminating illegal checkpoints and by reviewing by the end of September 2016 with the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, modalities for streamlining bureaucratic processes and access to populations in need.

Audio: Statement regarding meeting between UNSC and President Kiir

#AmharaProtests: Continues killings from the Agazi Squad and Mercenaries in the Province!

 

Peace Ethiopia

Amhara proverb goes “a kid whose mother died and another, whose mother went to fetch water, cry equally.”

There been dropped bombs in Amhara province, there snipers in Baha Dir, killings in Gondar and so much more. The constant violence and massacre in the area from the Agazi Sqaud of the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), the Ethiopian government with their heavy artillery and troops are no going against the leaders of the Amhara people and also killings civilians who has been in streets.

Rumors are not only claiming that the hired mercenaries are South Sudanese who left the army, but hired men from the Former Vice President of South Sudan, who is in exile in Khartoum; Dr. Riek Machar and his deflected army of rebels has been hired by the Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegne and his Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). If he has hired these men than the problems of South Sudan moves over the borders and hurt not only internal civilians in South Sudan, but now they are used to cause havoc in Ethiopia on hire by the ruling regime in Addis Ababa.

Amhara 03.09.2016

Displaced in Gondar because of the military:

Tigray regional government confirms the arrival of 4,060 people displaced from North Gondar zone in the past days. The displaced people are currently in Humera and Maykadra, Western Tigray zone. The regional government have assigned a coordinating committee, chaired by Haile Asfha, chief of Agriculture Bureau. Haile Asfha reportedly went to Humera to monitor the situation. The regional government allocated $200(4,500 birr) cash per household for the displaced people. Update: Another 2,000 people are expected to arrive tomorrow” (SiiTube, 03.09.2016).

As the worrying signs of brutality and killings continue and the desperation as the numbers of civilians officially killed during the last two months only in this region is 71. That is the official number and worries that it is much worse as the artillery and bombing of Gondar has happen. Together with the sniping and killings in Baha Dir; also the attacks in other parts of Amhara proves the systematic killing of the people. As the Ethiopian Parliament recently admitted that 2,5m people we’re missing from the region! 2, 5 million people just vanishing from the Ethiopian Parliament, this is not like missing a napkin, this is families upon families a giant city that disappeared into thin air. If that is isn’t staggering, than nothing goes under your skin!

In Gojar in Burie West at the Teshale Hotel there been found 6 dead today! And this is alone in one town today, one single incident of killings from the hired mercenaries and Agazi squad in the region.

In Metema the army has been having air-strikes over the people. How many and how much damage the Agazi and mercenaries has done in the town is troubling to say, as the only clear report is that the airstrikes has happen!

This numbers, this insane action and the even more silenced international community shows that killings and martial law without impunity is happening in the right zip-code because the sanctions against the EPRDF and ENDF is not happening. The Ethiopian Government and their army should get arms embargo and be sanctioned for their human rights violations. Their systematic killings that are genocidal. They should not be let of the hook. The Heavy Artillery and airstrikes towards their own citizens should not be something that doesn’t concern the rest of the world. It does, because they are just people like you and me. And they have the same values as the rest of us, the only difference they have a hostile government that is now currently doing what they can to kill and silence them, while the world doesn’t shed a single tear. Peace.

SPLA-IO rebel forces back to the TGoNU Government (Youtube-Clip)

“6000 men from the SPLA – IO join to Support TGONU government in the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan. it is the second video of my assignment to the rebel held territory to extend government support to the initiatives of the former rebel comanda that was fighting alongside Dr riek machar to join Taban Deng in the implementation of the peace agreement designed to end nearly three years of conflict” (Arusi James, 2016)

UN Security Council in Juba to discuss deploying troops (Youtube-Clip)

“Delegates from the UN Security Council are due in South Sudan on Friday. They’re going to discuss the deployment of an additional 4-thousand peacekeepers to the country. However, President Salva Kiir’s government is hoping to convince the UN to scrap the plan. CCTV’s Patrick Oyet has this report from the South Sudanese capital, Juba” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

East Africa: “Persistent conflict in the region continues to contribute to high levels of needs” (31.08.2016)

East-Africa

Persistent conflict in the region continues to contribute to high levels of needs

Key Messages

  • The resurgence of conflict in Juba in early July is likely to worsen already precarious food insecurity for many. Persistent conflict in South Sudan has disrupted livelihoods, access to humanitarian assistance and markets, particularly in Greater Bahr el Ghazal and Greater Upper Nile, leading to Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes. It is expected some households in the north of Northern Bahr el Ghazal are already facing extreme food shortages and are in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5).1
  • A major food security emergency is ongoing in Yemen, caused by conflict-related disruptions to household livelihoods. Across the western half of the country, households continue to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3 or 3!) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food security outcomes. Due to a rapidly evolving political and security situation, including the recent suspension of peace talks and the ongoing banking crisis, future food security outcomes are uncertain.
  • Continuing conflict and displacement have sustained high levels of displacement in the region. About 1.61 million people are displaced internally in South Sudan, and over 700,000 have crossed into Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan, and Kenya. An estimated 271,042 people are displaced from Burundi, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania. There are approximately 178,280 refugees from Yemen in Djibouti, Somalia and the Gulf States, with 2.4 million people displaced internally.
  • Large areas require emergency food assistance through September in Ethiopia. The 2015 El Niño-induced drought resulted in severe crop losses, massive livestock deaths, and eroded labor opportunities. While Crisis (IPC Phase 3!) is likely through September, the Meher harvest in October is expected to contribute to improving food availability. However, food insecurity could increase in southern and southeastern pastoral areas should the anticipated La Niña bring below-average precipitation in late 2017.
  • The high likelihood of a La Niña later in 2017 would be expected to bring below-average rainfall across the south of the Horn of Africa between October and December, limiting agricultural production and pastoral resource availability. Above-average staple food prices and reduced household food access could also be expected.

Refugee Olympic team enjoy memories of Rio (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAYxvkN_g8

“1. 00:00 SOUNDBITE: (English) Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete:
“The thing that I will never forget, the stadium, the opening ceremony. I remember it was so nice, so wonderful because I remember when we enter as the refugees, we were really cheered by many people.”
2. 00:04 Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete, doing the laundry.
3. 00:13 SOUNDBITE: (English) Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete:
“I will continue with sport and at least I have to make my future bright when I work hard, because right now I am looking forward to supporting my family and my siblings.”
4. 00:19 Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete, doing the laundry.
5. 00:26 SOUNDBITE: (English) Yiech Pur Biel, South Sudan refugee athlete:
“Like now I have passion in running because although I was not running for a long time I get something which can change my life. Because this one is not only for my family because I left them a long time ago, almost twelve years now, but now this one it gives whereby I can continue to achieve or to leave a legacy, to leave legacy to other people.”
6. 00:29 Athletes training.
7. 00:35 Yiech Pur Biel, South Sudan refugee athlete, talking to his friend about the 2016 Rio Olympic games and sharing photos” (SNTV, 2016)