South Sudan: WFP scales up food assistance for 80000 people
New York, US – The World Food Programme (WFP) said it would scale up food assistance to reach 80,000 people affected by the recent escalation of ethnic violence in South Sudan’s Jonglei state. WFP Deputy Executive Director, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, made this known on Tuesday after a visit to the region.
The WFP official said ‘the violence in Jonglei is only one of the many challenges that South Sudan is currently facing, and the world must respond to ensure that the people of South Sudan have the support they need to build a peaceful and prosperous country’.
In a statement, da Silva said ‘many of the women I met in Pibor and Akobo had lost their children and had no one to depend on but the humanitarian agencies on the ground’.
He noted that deadly clashes between the Lou Nuer and Murle communities in recent weeks had displaced tens of thousands of civilians.
The statement quoted da Silva as saying that the development had prompted UN agencies to launch a major humanitarian operation to assist those in need.
The WFP official said: ‘part of WFP’s response includes providing a 15-day emergency food ration to displaced persons who have been affected by the attacks, as well as using logistics expertise to help other humanitarian agencies overcome challenges to establish a way for people to access their services’.
He also said said that WFP had already deployed three helicopters, an airplane and 28 trucks to deliver ‘not just food but also shelter items and medical supplies to remote corners’, adding that ‘one of its priorities is to distribute food before the rain starts in March as 90 per cent of locations targeted for assistance will become inaccessible by road.’.
The UN agency also emphasized the need to help affected households cultivate their own crops in time for the next harvest in August.
‘Ten locations in Jonglei have already been reached by WFP. Five of these are located in Pibor county, including Pibor town and surrounding villages, Lekuangole, Gumruk, Labrab and Boma.
‘Five more are located in recently affected areas in the northern parts of the state. Initial emergency food assistance has been provided in Duk Padiet, while distributions are ongoing in Akobo and Walgak, Yuai in Urur county and Waat in Nyirol county,’ the statement added.
Pana 01/02/2012
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