The Red Cross has set up a ‘small base’ in northern Jonglei, South Sudan’s largest state, as it attempts to restore aid operations in the isolated region.
“During the past weeks, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expanded the geographical scope of its humanitarian work,” said Melker Mabeck, head of the international Red Cross delegation in South Sudan.
In a statement released from its Geneva headquarters on Wednesday, ICRC said northern Jonglei was among several “remote regions” where the organization recently undertook assessments.
The assessments will determine which kinds of services were most needed by conflict-affected people, such as water, nutrition, medical or sanitation services.
“In Waat, northern Jonglei, the ICRC has set up a small base which it will use to respond to the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. It is attending to the needs of people who fled the violence in areas such as Bor and Malakal and who are now in places such as Waat and Lankien. It also intends to improve water systems in these areas as a matter of priority,” the aid agency stated.
The town of Waat in north-central Jonglei is held by opposition forces. ICRC disclosed it also resumed work in the government-held town of Bor, stating it was “the first organization to return” to Bor, where it plans to help rebuild some structures that were damaged or destroyed.
Red Cross provided over 400 body bags to local authorities in Bor, as well as gloves and masks for use in collecting dead bodies.
Food for Jonglei IDPs
Besides working within Jonglei, the Red Cross is also assisting tens of thousands of people who fled the state to neighbouring Lake State.
A distribution of food rations to nearly 94,000 people started this week in an area called Minkamen, in Awerial County.
“We set up a convoy route that will enable us to distribute food for the next two weeks. We hope things will improve for the people in Minkamen,” said Mireille George, the ICRC delegate in charge of the distribution.
Last week the County Coordinator for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for Awerial County, John Parac, said the food distribution had been delayed.
He said there was no food distribution since 22 January when clashes in Awerial temporarily disrupted the work of aid agencies.
Photo: A Boy waits in line for a food package in Minkamen, South Sudan, where this week ICRC began food distribution to 94,000 people, 12 February 2014 (ICRC)