Humanitarian action, recovery, and development in Southern Sudan Weekly Bulletin - 09 to 15 Apr 2007

Summary

- Uganda and LRA renew truce, but LRA says ICC indictments for some of its leaders may pose obstacle.

- Pilot population census kicks off targeting 5,000 households, with all questionnaires due back by 30 April.

- Organized or assisted repatriation of refugees to Sudan, mostly to South, reaches 50,000 individuals.

- Repatriation of refugees from CAR completed, while repatriation from Ethiopia is now by air.

- Consistent downward trend in meningitis, as almost half million have been vaccinated.

Focus on stability and security

- A meeting was held on 13 to 14 April in Nabanga (Western Equatoria) between the Government of Uganda and the Ugandan opposition armed group "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA), under the auspices of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) as host and mediator, and in the presence of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for LRA-affected areas, Mr. Joaquim Chissano. The meeting was considered productive by the United Nations, as it opened the way for peace talks to resume on 26 April in Juba, and saw the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) extended until 30 June. The LRA leadership however, have reportedly insisted that the International Criminal Court (ICC) withdraw its indictments against some of its leaders, stating that this may be an obstacle to the peace process.

- President Thabo Mbeki of the Republic of South Africa visited Juba on 11 April and held talks with the Southern Sudanese President, in order to support the international community's efforts for a durable solution to peace in the country and in the region.

Population census

- Under the leadership of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the pilot census has started on 15 April in Southern Sudan. Questionnaires were distributed to 5,000 households in all ten states, and are due to be returned by 30 April. The UNFPA has also deployed technical support staff to the field, including cartographers and demographers, who will monitor activities and provide quality assurance

Population movements and returns

Internally displaced persons (IDPs)(1)

- This week [from 08 to 14 April], all four planned organized return operations of IDPs were ongoing: 2,667 individuals arrived in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal from Khartoum and surrounding areas, 1,296 arrived from South Darfur to Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, 1,207 arrived in Warrap State from Wau County (Western Bahr el-Ghazal), and 99 were moved from Central Equatoria to Mundri County (Western Equatoria).

- In Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State, the World Food Programme (WFP) has carried out distribution of three-month food rations to over 3,000 returnees from Khartoum and from South Darfur, in various distribution centres in the counties of Aweil Center, Aweil East, and Mangok.

- An inter-agency assessment conducted in several counties of Jonglei State (Akobo, Niyrol, Pochalla, Wuror) under WFP leadership, found over 10,000 returnees, mostly spontaneous, in urgent need of food and non-food items (NFIs). Humanitarian organizations are planning to urgently respond to such needs.

Refugees(2)

- Organized repatriation took place during last week [01 to 07 April] from the Central African Republic (CAR) with 610 individuals, Eritrea (3), Ethiopia (1,910), Kenya (101), and Uganda (535). During the same period, assisted self-repatriation occurred from Egypt (41 individuals).

- Within repatriation operations organized or assisted by the United Nations and partners for return to Sudan, mostly to the South, the 50,000th refugee returned home on 09 April. The day saw 543 returnees arrive to Upper Nile State from Fugnido Camp in Ethiopia, while 84 returnees including the 50,000th individual were flown from Mboki in CAR, to Yambio (Western Equatoria State).

- Repatriation of refugees from CAR has been completed this week. Thirty-one returnees arrived in Nzara (Western Equatoria State) on 11 April, with a ceremony held to close the operation, 17 years after the first camps were opened in CAR for Sudanese refugees.

- On 14 April, repatriation from Ethiopia started being conducted by air. Over 1,000 refugees are due to be flown from Ethiopia to Southern Sudan over the coming weeks.

Needs and response by sector

Common Services and Coordination

- The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)'s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R) unit has embarked on disaster preparedness and hazard mapping in Upper Nile and Northern Bahr el-Ghazal states. A team has been deployed to Malakal for a period of one week, collecting and compiling basic information on potential hazard, storage capacity, and response capacity. Another EP&R team is scheduled to visit Northern Bahr el-Ghazal next week for the same purpose.

- As of 12 April, the OCHA-managed Emergency Response Fund (ERF) had disbursed USD 231,678 from the beginning of 2007, to projects for five NGOs: American Refugee Committee (ARC), Christian Solidarity International (CSI), Tearfund, Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale (AVSI), Malteser.

Food Security and Livelihoods

- In press releases issued on 12 April, United Nations agencies have confirmed their plans to move from humanitarian action to recovery in the food sector over 2007. General food distribution will almost entirely be replaced by programmes such as 'food for work', 'food for recovery', and 'food for education'.

- In the areas of Unity State with the highest rate of returns, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has received and is due to distribute seeds and tools for a target population of 8,000 households, including returnees. The consignment includes 32 metric tonnes (MT) of maize, 32 MT of sorghum, 40 MT of ground nuts, 8,000 hoes, and 8,000 sickles.

Governance and Rule of Law

- The FAO in support of the Southern Sudan Lands Commission and in cooperation with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), organized a "State-level Land and Property" workshop in Bentiu (Unity State) from 11 to 13 April, attended by numerous county commissioners, local chiefs, and representatives of civil society. This is part of efforts by the United Nations and partners to promote debate and improve awareness on the issues of property and land ownership in Southern Sudan, especially relevant in areas with high number of returns.

Health and Nutrition

Meningitis

- Last week [02 to 08 April] saw 141 reported suspected cases of meningitis, leading to seven known deaths, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 4.96%. This is lower than the average CFR of 6.00% reported since the beginning of the year, and epidemiological data shows a consistent downward trend in both cases and deaths.

- As of 08 April, a total of 629,011 persons had been targeted for vaccination, of whom 445,757 had already been vaccinated. Vaccinations have mainly been conducted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) of several countries (France, Spain, Switzerland), and have happened in several parts of five states: Central Equatoria, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, Western Bahr el-Ghazal, Western Equatoria, and Warrap.

Acute watery diarrhoea (AWD)

- Last week [02 to 08 April] saw 359 reported suspected cases of AWD, leading to eight known deaths, with a CFR of 2.23%, only slightly lower than the average CFR of 2.68% observed since the beginning of the year. Numerous water and sanitation activities are underway by humanitarian organizations to prevent further spread of the outbreak.

Other

- An outbreak of measles has been reported in Kwajok town and Gogrial County (Warrap State). According to Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), this has caused 470 reported suspected cases since the beginning of March up to the present week, leading to 14 known deaths. Medication for treatment is reportedly not available at most locations in the state. The United Nations and partners are gearing up to respond to the reported outbreak as a matter of urgency.

- The UNFPA deployed a team of experts and consultants to assess the suitability of Malakal Teaching Hospital for emergency obstetric and neonatal care training. The training is due to take place in May, and will be the second of its type in Southern Sudan (the first having taken place last month in Yei). A full month in duration, the training will target at least 20 professional health workers

- In Bentiu (Unity State), CARE started on 09 April reproductive health training for 30 midwives.

Water and Sanitation

- Under the leadership of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), drilling began on five more boreholes in Awerial County (Lakes State), while two broken hand pumps were repaired in Rumbek town. In both cases, this aims to serve a population that is rapidly increasing due to returnees and economic migrants.

- As a preventive measure against the spread of AWD, two hygiene education sessions were conducted in Rumbek town. In the coming weeks, rural water hygiene promotion teams will accelerate hygiene education, focusing on key messages for AWD prevention.

Notes:

(1) Four types of organized IDP movements are planned for 2007 in Southern Sudan: (1) from northern Sudan to Southern Sudan; (2) from South Darfur to Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State; (3) from Wau County (Western Bahr el-Ghazal State) to Warrap State and possibly to Lakes State; and (4) from the Equatoria states to other locations in the Equatoria states and to Jonglei State.

(2) Organized repatriation of refugees in 2007 is due to happen mainly from five countries: CAR, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.

If you have inputs for the next edition, or questions and comments on this one, please contact:

Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Office, United Nations, Juba, Sudan, Email: giuliano@un.org, Telephone: +249-91-2179084

Melisa Phillips, Coordination and Information Officer, United Nations, Juba, Sudan, Email: phillipsm@un.or, Telephone: +249-91-2501652