10 women raped in Bentiu
South Sudanese women living in ‘dire’ conditions at the UN Protection of Civilians site in Bentiu are subject to rape when they leave the protected camp site in search of firewood or while visiting the market.
The United Nations reported in a humanitarian bulletin published yesterday that ten women reported being raped in Bentiu, stressing, “All incidents occurred when women left the site to gather wood or go to the market.”
Bentiu town is controlled by SPLA-Juba and allied armed groups.
Much of the civil population is ethnically Nuer and remains the protection of UN peacekeepers at a sprawling base in a low-lying area subject to flooding.
OCHA, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, stated, “Since the reopening of the PoC main gate on 26 August 2014 in Bentiu, 17 cases of domestic violence and 10 cases of rape were recorded.”
“All the rape cases occurred out of the PoC sites when the women had gone to look for firewood or to go to market,” stated the UN agency.
This report comes after a similar allegation was made by the SPLA-IO military spokesman Lul Ruai, who claimed in remarks broadcast by Radio Tamazuj that SPLA-Juba forces have recently committed rapes in the Bentiu area.
Poor conditions inside Bentiu PoC
OCHA noted that security concerns last week resulted in the suspension of fixed-wing flights to the Rubkona airstrip, which affected the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the people of Bentiu who remain under UN protection. However, scheduled helicopter flights have continued.
Poor living conditions are increasing the risk of disease in Bentiu as humanitarian organizations seek to excavate more drainage ditches to dry out the flooded camp site.
There are not enough latrines for the roughly 46,000 people at the site, who fear to leave to find shelter on higher ground because of ethnically targeted attacks.
According to OCHA, there is approximately 1 latrine for every 99 people in Bentiu. An additional 401 latrines are needed to reach the minimum emergency standard.
In spite of these challenges, the UN reports that child mortality at the site has dropped compared to earlier this year. “In Bentiu, under-five mortality was 0.176 deaths per 10,000 per day,” reported OCHA.
Related coverage:
New drainage relieves flooding at Bentiu refugee camp (6 Sept.)
Video (graphic): SPLA-Juba forces moving into Bentiu (5 Sept.)