Over 350 die of hunger in South Sudan
By MABIOR MACH NATION Correspondent JUBA, Wednesday
Posted Wednesday, August 31 2011 at 19:25
More than 350 returnees from Khartoum died of hunger-related problems in a remote resettlement camp in Warrap state, officials said on Wednesday.
A state’s parliamentary team constituted to investigate the circumstances under which the returnees perished said they succumbed to starvation in Mayen Gumer village in Gogrial West County.
“It is really a severe hunger and it has been confirmed that 358 people died,” said the area representative to the state legislative assembly and member of the team, Ariech Mayar Ariech.
The state governor, Nyandeng Malek confirmed the death toll, but said they may have died of curable diseases as she lamented the poor health facilities in the state.
“The truth is that 350 have died of hunger and then there is need to rescue the rest by providing food aid,” said Ariech.
Chiefs of the returnees showed graves of the deceased to the delegation.
The delegation said they saw a lot of children and women with distended bellies and protruding ribs as signs that confirm the severity of the hunger.
There has been scarcity of food items in the state and the whole of South Sudan after Sudan restricted the flow of goods across the borders.
Meanwhile, South Sudan president Salva Kiir has threatened to dismiss the newly appointed Governor of the Central Bank if he does not tighten the banking policies.
“We must know what do we have in the bank and we must know what do we give out and for what reason; nothing will go out without being accounted for,” Mr Kiir said as he establishes authority nearly two months after independence of his country.
“This is my word to you and mind you I am going to bring you experts even from outside our country if it is deemed necessary to have such groups present with you,” he said.
Mr Kiir made the statement two weeks after replacing the head of the central bank in the wake of a rapidly devaluating new local currency.
Governor Elijah Malok Aleng was sacked and replaced with his deputy, Korenellio Koryom.
Kiir also warned against nepotism and corruption, the factors that have undermined his government’s effort to deliver basic services in the last six years.
“Not only in the bank; even in the government – in the executive where we are will we have such groups as advisors,” he said
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