Introduction
This report is a consolidated summary of the Abyei humanitarian emergency. It contains highlights on the situation and the response to it by the humanitarian community since the time when large numbers of people fled southwards of Abyei town following fighting in the area in mid May. An effort will be made to present a holistic picture by way of cumulative figures regarding the humanitarian situation and response. The information herein is based on field reports from the humanitarian staff based in Agok and Turalei as well as the Abyei Emergency Taskforce, which sits in Juba and comprises of humanitarian actors and the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) and OCHA being the convenors. This meeting is chaired by the SSRRC and OCHA is the secretariat.
Situation
• Following the outbreak of conflict in Abyei starting on 13th May 2008, the majority of the residents of Abyei town fled southwards to the areas of Abatok, Awal, Wunpeth, Malual Alio and Agok in the border areas and downwards into Twic County in Warrap State. A small number went to Aweil East in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and Bentiu in Unity State. The humanitarian community is responding to the situation on the basis of the following estimates – 50,000 internally displaced persons and 40,000 persons within war affected communities. However, WFP beneficiary lists have confirmed 50,183 people affected by the crisis. This number includes both IDPs and affected host communities. The last head count as at end of May 2008 had confirmed 26,000 IDPs.
• The UN and NGOs started to respond to the humanitarian crisis within the first week after the conflict.
• From the onset, GoSS authorities have facilitated access for humanitarian organizations to reach the affected people with assistance. Generally, most of the areas with where IDPs are settled have been accessible except a few that had been difficult to access for two to three weeks. COORDINATION
• Teams composed of OCHA, Resident Coordinator’s Office, and UNJLC continued to facilitate coordination of activities among partners on the ground in constant liaison with the SSRRC. The teams are based in Agok, Turalei and Juba with daily coordination meetings being held in the field (Agok) at 08:30H and 17:00H at WARD a local NGO. In Juba meetings have been scaled down to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at 14:00H at SSRRC.
• Regular situation reports are being produced and circulated to donors, GoSS humanitarian departments, UN system, NGOs and international organizations. FUNDING
• To date, humanitarian actors notably, WFP, UNICEF, MSF-Switzerland, IOM, Christian Solidarity International, Mercy Corps, ICRC, Goal, World Vision, Save the Children Fund – USA & UK and many others have managed to mobilize resources to deliver food, water treatment tablets, water points, non-food items, latrines and other types of assistance.
• In order to scale up the humanitarian response, a proposal for US$7,733,748 funds to respond to the Abyei emergency was sent to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Secretariat in OCHA New York on 06 June 2008. The humanitarian response continues to focus on food, livelihoods, emergency shelter, health and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, emergency education, nonfood items and protection. The targeted beneficiaries are 90,000 affected people (50,000 IDPs and 40,000 host community members) in Warrap, Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Unity States. HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE Food Aid
• As of 8 June 2008, WFP had assisted 50,183 individuals with a total of 493.383 MT of assorted food commodities in response to the Abyei crisis. This covers Abyei, Warrab, Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBEG) and Unity States that are affected by IDP influx. Health
• The combined emergency Measles and Maternal Neonatal Tetanus (MMNT) /Polio Vitamin A campaign began in Abyei on 09 June and will run until 12 June. It is targeting an approximate population of 90,000 based on the Ministry of Health (MoH) Abeyi figures for the Accelerated Child Survival Initiative (ACSI).
• From the approximate population, 31,503 are internally displaced persons (IDPs), 23,935 are children under five while 20,160 are women who are breastfeeding and those at child bearing age.
• Children between 0-5 years receive the Polio vaccine, those between 6 months and 5 years get the measles and vitamin A vaccines while women aged 15-45 years are being given the Tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine.
• UNICEF, WHO, MoH and other partners are involved in the emergency operation. Non-food items (NFIs)
• As at 06 June, a total of 6,650 NFI kits had been distributed in Agok (6,250) and Thuralei (400). Some IDPs in Aweil East have also received NFIs.
• Organizations in the NFI sector have so far mobilized a total of 17,420 NFIs. The NFIs include commodities like kitchen sets, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, soap, etc.
• IOM is putting up two inter-agency emergency rubhalls in Turalei for stocking NFIs and other emergency stocks. Protection
• As at 06 June, 209 children were still missing or unaccompanied according to UNICEF and SCFUSA.
• A total of 68 children have been reunified with their families. Water and Sanitation
• From the planned eight boreholes to be upgraded into mini water-yards with UNICEF support, as at 09 June three had been completed by ACAD to provide water for 12,000 people in Agok town and work on the fourth borehole had begun. The target is to complete all the eight boreholes within a week.
• A total of 5,000 litres of water is being trucked to Majbong on a daily basis.
• The Agok water yard is receiving 20 litres of fuel daily to run the water pump and this has greatly improved the water provision in Agok.
• Drilling of one borehole by Save the Children US is in progress in Abatok and this should be completed by the end of the week.
• A total of 15 latrine sites were identified in Madig jok and digging commenced on 8 June 2008. MSF has started constructing two latrines in Agok out of the 24 it has planned. MSF and Goal are preparing to install 100 household latrines in total. However, construction of latrines in some areas may be hindered by the rains, which cause some pits to collapse.
• WFP has secured about 640 empty 200-litre drums to be used in the construction of more than 300 latrines for the IDPs and war affected host community. Transportation from Akon and Wunrok still needs to be secured while appropriate slabs are required for the drums to be usable for latrine purposes. Shelter
• Mercy-Corps is planning to construct 400 tukuls. The project will also have both a food and cashfor- work element. Local authorities are in the process of selecting beneficiaries. Livelihoods
• A livelihoods project - vegetable gardening - is underway and will involve 20 groups with 20 families in each group.
Compiled by: C.Maputseni – maputseni@un.org Disclaimer: This report is a consolidation of information from OCHA field reports, UN agencies, NGOs, GoSS-SSRRC and other humanitarian partners. The report is subject to availability of data and does not claim to be exhaustive or fully verified and does not represent the official position of the United Nations.