Widespread attacks on civilians continue across South Sudan, driven primarily by subnational armed violence involving community-based militias and civil defense groups, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Its latest quarterly report, released on Wednesday, comes as the country faces an underfunded humanitarian response, an influx of new arrivals due to the war in neighboring Sudan, as well as looming flooding and an economic crisis.
The world's newest independent nation is in the midst of a dire humanitarian crisis as a result of years of conflict, exacerbated by droughts, floods, epidemic outbreaks, food insecurity and internal displacement that have left 9 million people - including 4.9 million children - in need of humanitarian assistance.
According to the UN mission, sub-national violence within South Sudan continues to kill and injure civilians, impede humanitarian access throughout the East-Central African country, and force people to flee their homes. In addition, South Sudanese women and girls remain at high risk of gender-based violence (GBV).
Between January and March 2024, UNMISS documented 240 incidents of violence affecting 913 civilians across the country, of which 468 were killed, 328 were injured, 70 were abducted, and 47 were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. This represents a 24 percent increase in the number of violent incidents - from 194 to 240 - compared to the same period in 2023, and an 8 percent increase in violent incidents compared to the previous quarter - from 223 to 240.
āWe cannot emphasize enough the urgent need for collective action by national, state and local authorities, as well as community leaders and national politicians, to resolve longstanding grievances peacefully, especially as South Sudan approaches its first elections,ā said Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-Generalās Special Representative and Head of UNMISS, in a statement.
āBuilding a culture of human rights is fundamental to achieving sustainable security, peace, and democracy.ā
According to the report, inter- and intra-communal violence by community-based militias and civilian defense groups remains the primary source of subnational violence, accounting for 87 percent of the victims (796 individuals) documented across South Sudan. Civilians in Warrap State suffered the highest rates of violence, accounting for 37 percent of total civilian victims nationwide, followed by Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria States.
On a more positive note, the number of documented abductions decreased by 30 percent - from 100 to 70 - compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, and documented incidents of conflict-related sexual violence decreased by 25 percent - from 63 to 47.
Nationwide trends in violence involving government security forces and other organized armed groups remained relatively low during the reporting period. However, military operations and activities involving the conventional parties to the conflict and their respective armed proxies continue to put civilians at risk, particularly in parts of Central Equatoria State.
UNMISS is mandated to protect civilians throughout the country with thousands of peacekeeping patrols by land, air and sea. The Mission is also helping to bring communities together to reconcile and build peace through dialogue. In addition, the UN mission continues to actively support political and peace processes, including security and justice sector reform, constitution-making and election preparations.
South Sudan has not held elections since independence in 2011. After a power crisis erupted in 2013, the country descended into conflict that spread across much of the country. A first peace agreement signed in 2015 failed.
After many delays, a revitalized agreement signed in 2018 led to the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020. Progress in implementing the peace agreement has been slow, however, as the parties disagree over power-sharing. Elections are scheduled for December 2024, and the transitional period has been extended to February 2025.
Even before war broke out in Sudan last year, years of conflict in South Sudan had created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. In addition to violence, soaring rates of severe malnutrition, acute hunger, and deteriorating health conditions threaten the lives and well-being of millions of people in the country.
An estimated 7.1 million people in South Sudan are expected to be food insecure during the lean season from April to July 2024, an increase of more than 20 percent from mid-2023. Of these, 2.3 million people are experiencing emergency conditions and 79,000 women, men and children are facing famine conditions, compared to 35,000 people at the same time last year.
An estimated 1.65 million children under five are acutely malnourished, including some 480,000 children under five who are severely acutely malnourished and require urgent medical attention.
South Sudan is also one of the countries most affected by climate change. Drought and flooding contribute to food insecurity. Consecutive years of record flooding have led to widespread displacement, loss of agricultural land and destruction of livelihoods.
Currently, South Sudan is preparing for the worst floods in 60 years. According to government officials, UN agencies and independent research groups, South Sudan is likely to experience a major flooding event in the second half of 2024, threatening to exacerbate its already severe humanitarian crisis.
In the coming weeks, unprecedented high-water levels in Lake Victoria and forecasts of above-average rainfall across the region threaten millions of South Sudanese. Severe and prolonged flooding over the past few years has severely damaged crops, farmland and agricultural infrastructure.
Major flooding is expected to cause widespread displacement. Humanitarian agencies are planning for a scenario in which more than 3 million people will be affected and 2.4 million will be in need of humanitarian assistance.
With 4.3 million people forcibly displaced, South Sudan has the highest proportion of displaced people - one third - of any country in Africa. More than 2.3 million people have fled to neighboring countries. Most are now in Uganda, which hosts 1 million South Sudanese refugees. 2 million are internally displaced. In addition, South Sudan hosts at least 460,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia.
The humanitarian response in South Sudan requires US$1.8 billion in 2024 to provide humanitarian assistance to 6 million people targeted. Between January and May 2024, more than 200 relief agencies reached approximately 3.1 million of the targeted population.
The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for South Sudan only targets the most vulnerable children, women and men, leaving the needs of millions of others unmet as humanitarian operations in South Sudan remain severely underfunded. As of July 2024, this year's HRP is only 28 percent funded.
The situation is exacerbated by the war in Sudan, which has caused more than 740,000 people - Sudanese and South Sudanese nationals - to flee across the border into South Sudan. The conflict in the neighboring country, which erupted more than fifteen months ago, has driven large numbers of refugees and returnees into South Sudan, adding to the vulnerable population in areas already affected by intercommunal violence and overstretched basic services.
A recent survey by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirms that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is exacerbating the already severe humanitarian crisis in South Sudan for refugees and the communities hosting them.
āMillions of South Sudanese live below the poverty line and the war in Sudan is taking a heavy toll on the countryās economy,ā said Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan, on Monday in a statement.
āIn this context, integrating refugees is particularly challenging, and it is crucial that we now link humanitarian assistance to stabilization and development programs to the extent possible.ā
Further information
Full text: Brief on Violence Affecting Civilians, January ā March 2024, Human Rights Division United Nations Mission in South Sudan, report, published July 17, 2024
https://unmiss.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/q1_2024_brief_violence_affecting_civilians.pdf
Full text: Forced Displacement Survey - South Sudan 2023, UNHCR, report, released July 15, 2024
https://www.unhcr.org/media/forced-displacement-survey-south-sudan-2023