Nation faces war, famine and humanitarian crisis
UNITED NATIONS — The directorgeneral of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that South Sudan is “a forgotten conflict” facing a “humanitarian crisis” made worse by the pandemic, while the U.N. chief cautioned that 60% of people in the world’s newest nation are “increasingly hungry.”
South Sudan has been struggling to recover from five years of war that at least one study says killed almost 400,000 people. A coalition government formed last year between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar is implementing a peace deal behind schedule, while deadly violence continues.
The ICRC’s Robert Mardini, who visited South Sudan last week, called it “one of the most complex humanitarian crises anywhere.” And he said “now alarmingly we see severe food shortages and a largely unquantifiable prevalence of COVID-19 ,which are making an already catastrophic situation even worse.”
While hostilities between the main parties may have ceased or been reduced, Mardini said “fighting with smaller parties and splinter groups and between communities is unfortunately continuing to cause death, destruction and displacement.”
Making the rounds at Akabo County Hospital in eastern Jonglei state, which serves close to 200,000 people, Mardini said he saw several people recovering from gunshot wounds, including children. He said they were victims of intercommunal violence that is endemic in the country and the result of historic rivalries, often over cattle and land but sometimes over political agendas.
The U.N. has appealed for $5.5 billion immediately to avoid multiple famines affecting 34 million people in over three dozen countries, including South Sudan.
The Security Council on Friday is expected to extend the mandate of the almost 20,000strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for a year.