UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
OLS Southern Sector Update: 10/1/96

OLS Southern Sector Update: 10/1/96

OLS SOUTHERN SECTOR UPDATE 96/39,1 October 1996

A weekly report on major developments concerning relief operations in southern Sudan

OLS NEEDS ASSESSMENT UPDATE... Southern sector site visits for the 1996 annual needs assessment, which began on 2 September, are nearing completion. A total of 18 of the 21 scheduled locations have been assessed by six teams comprised of OLS personnel from WFP, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children Fund-UK, World Vision International, and CARE as well as the SRRA, FRRA and RASS. Two of the remaining locations will be assessed in the first week of October, while the third location is still inaccessible due to insecurity. The OLS teams have done assessments in all regions of southern Sudan.

OLS ASSESSMENT PLANNED FOR AKOBO... Staff of MSF-Belgium, WFP and UNICEF will fly to Akobo on 4-6 October to assess the food security, the general security situation, the situation of the displaced, and the state of ongoing programmes in the area. MSF-Belgium will also bring drug supplies to refresh the Akobo clinic that they have supported since 1993. OLS staff were relocated from Akobo to Lokichokio on 8 September as a precautionary measure due to insecurity.

SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS RELEASED BY SPLA-UNITED... Two Sudan Government officials were released in Aburoc on 2 October after being held for seven days by forces of the SPLA-United. The two officials, both with the Humanitarian Affairs Commission (HAC), were seized from the WFP barge "Doma" at Detwok, near Kodok, on the White Nile on 25 September. They were taken three hours by foot to an undisclosed location where they were detained.

BOMBING IN WESTERN EQUATORIA... The villages of Maridi and Tambura, Western Equatoria, were bombed on the morning of 26 September. Three bombs were dropped near the town of Maridi, reportedly wounding four civilians. In Tambura, at least 11 bombs were dropped wounding five civilians, one of whom was evacuated to Lokichokio for treatment. One bomb landed between the relief compounds of CARE and International Medical Corps (IMC), causing some minor shrapnel damage to the roof of a CARE building. Hundreds of small explosive devises were also dropped on the outskirts of town. Thirty OLS relief personnel were present in Maridi and 14 in Tambura during the bombings.

OLS STAFF WARNED AGAINST USING ROADS IN NORTHERN UGANDA... The OLS Security Advisor has advised OLS personnel to avoid using the roads in northern Uganda until further notice. Insecurity in the area has made road travel dangerous, especially roads north of Kitgum to Labone, Parajok, and Ikotos.

MSF-BELGIUM STAFF RELOCATED FROM PANTHOU... Three staff of the OLS NGO Medecins sans Frontieres-Belgium (MSF-Belgium) were relocated from Panthou to Lokichokio on 28 September as a precautionary measure due to insecurity. The medical team had completed their work with the Primary Health Care Unit (PHCU) in Panthou and were already scheduled to leave that day. They plan to work next in Thiek Thou, when the area is deemed safe for relief operations.

WFP STAFF RELOCATED FROM YUAI... Three WFP staff were relocated from Yuai on 25 September due to insecurity. They were in the area doing an assessment.

NEW SRRA LIAISON OFFICER IN LOKICHOKIO... Aloisio Emor Ojetuk has been appointed as the new SRRA liaison officer in Lokichokio.

OLS PROGRAMMES UPDATE... - A two-week water training course for pump technicians, facilitated by UNICEF and SRRA, began last Friday in Narus.

- Action Contre la Faim reports that they have a drilling team in Lokutok working on five boreholes.

- The Coordinating Committee of the Organization for Voluntary Services (COSV) and RASS are being assisted by a UNICEF water technician in the construction of a well in Nyal.

- A UNICEF water technician visited Natinga to repair a handpump in a camp for unaccompanied minors.

- Teacher training programmes are ongoing with the Mundri Relief and Development Association (MRDA) in Maridi, the Association of Christian Resource Organizations Serving Sudan (ACROSS) in Panyagor, and Norwegian Church Aid in Lokutok.

- UNICEF delivered a supply of relief items to Pibor on 1 October in response to reported flood damage to crops and homes in the area. Among items sent, were medical supplies, clothing, blankets, mosquito nets, household items, and tools.

Message-ID: <199610031525.LAA26368@rmy.rmy.emory.edu> Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 11:25:22 -0400 From: PhD <younis@RMY.EMORY.EDU> Subject: OLS SOUTHERN SECTOR UPDATE


Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar

Previous Menu Home Page What's New Search Country Specific