A Long Walk To Safety

For over a month now, the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, has suffered from an armed conflict whose death toll has been cautiously estimated to be in the thousands. The start of a political crisis turned violent on 15. December 2013, and spiraled into countrywide conflict with ethnic overtones. Nearly 900 000 people have been uprooted since the battles began, and the violence continues unabated despite the agreement to cease hostilities on 23rd of January. One of the most fought over towns is Malakal, the Upper Nile state. The battles in the key oil-town have been raging since the beginning of the armed hostilities, forcing the masses of civilian population to flee after being caught in between the warring parties.

One of those people forced to flee into the unknown is Nyagnet Req, the mother of 7 children who have been residing in the town of Malakal. On 13. January 2014 her life shattered. On that day, which she can only describe as “the worst day of her life”, she went to a nearby river to fetch water for her household consumption as part of her every day routine. As she was returning home with a bucket of water on her head, she witnessed the disaster that had struck her home town.

She has no words to explain the situation, the expression of sheer sadness and anguish voice her devastation. The town was taken over by heavy armed fighting. Gun shots were flying around as the parents were running around to gather their children. Nyagnet has only blurred memories of how she ran fast to her house, collected her seven children and rushed to escape the warfare in the town. The next day, she was on her way to a town called Nasir, travelling on foot and carrying her three sons and four daughters. After 4 days of travel they finally arrived at Nasir. There they stayed for two days, exhausted by the journey and in need of rest.

The Req family continued walking for another two days and reached an Ethiopian border town Matar. Matar is one of the entry points in the Western region of Ethiopia called Gambella, which has received a refugee influx of 29 000 in the past month. The border between Ethiopia and South Sudan is demarcated by a string of rivers, which the asylum seekers need to cross by swimming or by overcrowded boats. The boat crossings are notoriously dangerous; already one boat has capsized in the White Nile River, claiming over 200 victims trying to flee the warfare in Malakal. To reach Ethiopia for safety, crowds of South Sudanese trying to escape the violence are swimming across the crocodile infested Sobat/Baro river.

At Matar Nyagnet and her children stayed for one day. Nyagnet and her son got sick with diarrhea, caused by the unsafe water she used at Matar. On 23 Jan 2014 the Req family was relocated to the nearby Leitchor camp. Leitchor camp is a site planned by UNHCR and Administration of Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), with capacity to host 20 000 refugees.

Currently, the registration and relocation of the asylum seekers scattered along the river banks in Gambella are expedited due to the increasing logistic and security issues. The newcomers require water, food and shelter. Overwhelmed by the influx of the arriving South Sudanese, the aid community is striving to provide the assistance; the Lietchor camp establishment has begun with construction of modest temporary shelters and basic sanitation facilities. When Nyagnet is asked about her current needs in the camp, food and safe water were foremost on her list of basic necessities.

When people are forced to leave behind their homes, they are often violently separated from their family, livelihoods and community. Nyagnet has lost the contact with her husband, who was working for the government in road construction. She has no knowledge of his whereabouts since the clashes broke out. Family separation is one of the prevalent results of the current conflict in South Sudan. Women and children have been hit disproportionately hard by the conflict; with majority of those fleeing the fighting being women and children, protection issues are amounting. The violent events over the last months have placed those most vulnerable at grave risk.

Despite the recent agreement of cessation of hostilities between the warring forces in South Sudan, the situation remains volatile. The UN has reported that investigations have indicated alleged widespread bloodshed and lawlessness, committed by diverse combatant factions.  With livelihoods and infrastructure destroyed back in South Sudan, exacerbated by fears of further fighting, it does not seem likely that stability can be established any time soon. UNHCR and other aid workers are anticipating further displacement both within and beyond the borders of South Sudan.

Given the rate and magnitude of the destruction, the government’s lack of resources to assist and the on-going clashes, the conflict is feared to be leading to a long-term humanitarian crisis with an increasing risk of disease outbreaks.If and when they return, the South Sudanese refugees can expect very little to return to. The months of raging conflict have taken their toll on families and entire communities of origin. With houses and livelihoods destroyed, the rebuilding of a life in a fragile country teetering in its newly established independence will require immense efforts, from macro to micro level.

LWF has launched a joint ACT appeal to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the crisis in South Sudan in Gambella regional state. In close cooperation with ACT, UNHCR and ARRA, LWF Ethiopia is responding to the emergency by providing the permanent water system and other WASH services to the Lietchor camp. In addition to the life-saving activities, LWF is planning to take part in the agricultural livelihoods activities and psychosocial support.