World’s forgotten refugee crisis
A civil war in South Sudan is tearing the newest country in the world apart – and women are suffering the most
LAST MONTH, ON A DAY THAT should have been spent celebrating five years of independence in South Sudan, many were running for their lives. On 8 July, deadly clashes between the government and opposition forces set off a fresh round of fighting in the country. Hundreds have been killed and millions displaced in what is being labelled the world’s forgotten refugee crisis. Adding to the horrific situation is an unprecedented level of sexual violence towards women. Whether in broad daylight in the refugee camps or outside their homes, women are being regularly gang-raped by
soldiers and armed groups of rebels.
Suze van Meegan, Save The Children’s child protection specialist in South Sudan, has been working in the country for the past 15 months. Speaking to Grazia from the region, she says, ‘Girls of 14 are being pushed into cars and taken away to be gang-raped. Women who have fled their homes and are staying in UN Protection of Civilian sites (Pocs) are being raped when they leave the safe space to look for food for their children. Fear of sexual violence instills terror in people that differs from that caused by weapons – it’s personal and de-humanising.’
When the recent violence broke out between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and supporters of former vicepresident Riek Machar, it forced more than 60,000 refugees into neighbouring countries. Up to 45,000 people are now staying in POC camps in the capital, Juba – in addition to hundreds of thousands more in camps throughout the country.
They’re fleeing shootings, grenades and mortar bombs destroying their residential areas and, as a result, the country is on the brink of famine. People can’t access crops at home and food can’t pass through the country because the roads are blocked off. According to UNICEF, 25,000 children are facing severe malnutrition. ‘The people hit hardest by this fighting are struggling to cope in appalling conditions. They are desperate for water, food and medical assistance,’ says Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF’S representative in South Sudan.
Even before this new wave of fighting, the country was far from stable, with over 2.5 million South Sudanese people displaced since December 2013.
Eujin Byun, who works for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in South Sudan, says she’s come across hundreds of rape victims since this conflict flared up. Speaking to Grazia, she said, ‘These are mothers and sisters who are looking for food. Women are extremely vulnerable but they have no choice but to try and keep their family alive.’
One South Sudanese woman told her, ‘My whole life is about moving around to find a safe place.’ Sunday, whose one-yearold daughter Bismah died of malaria and severe malnutrition two weeks ago, adds, ‘Life is so difficult. You have to be rich to even buy a bag of flour,’ she explains.
According to Save The Children, a lot of the sexual violence would be preventable if charities were provided with enough food and firewood to keep women from leaving safe spaces. ‘I’m finding it increasingly difficult not to cry when I hear stories of kids dying who couldn’t get to hospital or women who have been raped by several men, or the nausea felt seeing civilian dead bodies lying in the streets,’ Suze adds. ‘But people don’t need me to cry for them, they need services and materials to help them live their lives.’ To help, visit donate.unhcr.org; savethechildren. org.uk/emergencies; unicef.uk/southsudan
‘Life is so difficult. You have to be rich to buy a bag of flour’