JUBA, 16 June 2009: Escalating violence in Southern Sudan is putting tens of thousands of vulnerable people at risk of being cut off from help, aid workers warned.
“We have seen an increase in inter-[communal] fighting in Southern Sudan in recent months,” Kenro Oshidari, country director for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), said on 15 June. “This could derail recovery and rebuilding efforts that we are supporting.”
On 12 June, armed Jikany Nuer men attacked a flotilla of 31 boats, including 27 carrying grain and other supplies for WFP, outside Nassir town in Upper Nile State.
The attack cut supplies to more than 19,000 displaced people. Upper Nile State information minister Thom Mom said about 40 people died in the fighting. “The situation is calm now,” he said on 16 June. “The issue is being dealt with,” he added, without giving further details.
The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it was deeply concerned about the situation. “We have treated 33 wounded in our hospital in Nassir, mostly for gunshot wounds,” said Colette Gadenne, MSF-Holland head of mission in Southern Sudan.
In May, clashes broke out between factions of the Lou Nuer and Jikany ethnic groups, in which at least 66 people were killed, according to local officials.
According to MSF, it doctors have since March treated 172 wounded in fighting in Jonglei and Upper Nile states.
“That violence forced many people to move,” Gadenne said. “We consider the situation now to be very severe, because [every]where the violence happened there is a shortage of food, and the areas are very difficult to reach for humanitarian aid.”
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