SOUTHERN SUDAN / ATTACKS

Twenty-seven boats carrying 735 metric tons of WFP food were attacked by an armed group on Friday (11 June). The food was loaded in Nassir County, Malakal in South Sudan's Upper Nile State, and was destined for Akobo County in Jonglei State for distribution to 19,000 internally displaced people. WFP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:40
• Production Date: 15 June 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: NUTRITION; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U090615c

Description

STORY: SOUTHERN SUDAN / ATTACKS
TRT: 1.40
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE:

DATELINE: 26 MAY 2009, AGOK, SOUTHERN SUDAN

Shotlist

MAY 26 2009, AGOK, SOUTHERN SUDAN

1. Various shots, displaced people
2. Various shots, food distribution among displaced people.
3. SOUNDBITE (English Brian Bogart, Head, WFP, Abyei:
“In the entire region of Abyei, WFP assists approximately 65,000 people that equals about 800 metric tons of food assistance, per month- and currently we’re trying to pre-position commodities to areas that will become inaccessible during the rainy season-and we hope to complete that by the end of this month, by the end of June.”

MAY 23 2008 ABYEI, SOUTHERN SUDAN

4. Various shots, burnt down villages after heavy fighting
5. Wide shot, burnt WFP compound
6. Wide shot, brunt village

MAY 26 2009, AGOK, SOUTHERN SUDAN

7. SOUNDBITE (English Brian Bogart, Head, WFP, Abyei:
“After the crisis in Abyei, our staff were evacuated by helicopter there was really no other way out of the area—but within five days WFP we were here in Agok providing relief assistance and, one year later, we are still providing assistance to this population and helping them to make ends meat in the midst of their displacement and the political uncertainty surrounding the area.”
8. Tilt up, sifting flour
7. Wide shot, woman with straw
8. Various shots, displaced families

Storyline

Twenty-seven boats carrying 735 metric tons of WFP food were attacked by an armed group on Friday, 11 June. The food was loaded in Nassir County, Malakal in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, and was destined for Akobo County in Jonglei State for distribution to 19,000 internally displaced people.

The boats were escorted by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. This security arrangement was with the help of UNMIS, which maintains bases in Pibor and Akobo and helping to keep Jonglei state stabilized.

WFP has received confirmed reports that 16 of these boats have returned to
Nassir following the attack and all but one was looted of the WFP food. We have no indication at the moment about what had happened to the remaining 11 boats.

To help fill some of the gap left by the attack, WFP yesterday airlifted 8.55 mt of sorghum and .95 mt. of pulses from Lokichoggio, in northern Kenya, into Agok. This food will be distributed on Monday, 15 June through local leaders using the community sharing method.

WFP will also provide supplementary food to 4,450 internally displaced children and women.

Analysts say the rise in tribal violence in Southern Sudan threatens a fragile peace in the region that was achieved after a 2005 accord ended more than two decades of north-south civil war.

The 2005 agreement promised national elections, due next February, and a referendum on southern secession in 2011. But many in the south are frustrated by the continuing lack of development and stagnation in the region’s oil-based economy.

Last year, in Abyei, heavy clashes between the Government of Sudan forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army took many by surprise. Once again, thousands of civilians fled their homes for safety and an uncertain future. The people of Abyei were frustrated that their border town between the North and the South was a target for a violence that never seems to end