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SOUTH SUDAN / PIBOR FOOD AID
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / PIBOR FOOD AID
TRT: 2:10
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / MURLE / NATS
DATELINE: 12 JANUARY, 2012, PIBOR, GUMURUK, SOUTH SUDAN
DATELINE: 12 JANUARY 2012, PIBOR, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, Mi 26 helicopter landing
2. Med shot, men carrying bags of sorghum
3. Med shot, men offloading bags of food
4. Wide shot, bags being pile up
5. Wide shot, returnees waiting for food
6. Close up, women on the ground waiting
7. Close up, a child waiting for food
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Nikoi, World Food Program Country Director South Sudan:
“Today we are operating four helicopters, taking food into Pibor, to Gumruk, in a day or two to Likuangole to assist the population. It is not enough; we need more and much bigger helicopters that will be able to do this more efficiently.”
9. Wide shot, returnees with bag of sorghum
10. Med shot. Two women carrying a bad of sorghum
11. Wide shot, woman walking away with a bag of sorghum on her head
12. SOUNDBITE (Murle) Kurkur Lutilah, Beneficiary:
“The reason I am here is because of the fighting. Some of my children are still in the bush and some of them are here with me now. I am looking for food so that my family can have something to eat.”
13. Wide shot, woman dragging a bag of sorghum
14. Med shot, boy seated on a bag of food
15. SOUNDBITE (Murle) Nyadith Mathian, Beneficiary:
“The food that I am seeing here will not be enough for the people because there are still people in the bush who are afraid to come, thinking that the situation is not stable.”
12 JANUARY 2012 GUMURUK, SOUTH SUDAN
16. Wide shot, WFP helicopter landing
17. Med shot, men carry bags out of the aircraft
18. Wide shot, bags being offloaded
19. Wide shot, returnees under a tree waiting for food
The World Food Program (WFP) began distributing food today to thousands of South Sudanese affected by the recent attacks in Pibor town and its surroundings, but it does not have enough helicopters for the operation.
South Sudan’s remote Jonglei state has witnessed a cycle of violence between its communities. On the 23 December armed Lou Nuer youths attacked members of the Murle community in Pibor town and surroundings.
The invasion lasted for about two weeks, leaving an unconfirmed number dead and displacing an estimated 60,000.
Any uneasy calm has returned to Pibor with the withdrawal of the armed column believed to be between 6000-8000 strong. Women, children and the elderly who fled the fighting have started coming back and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Over the last eight days the World Food Programme (WFP) has assisted over 3000 people with food items in the remote Jonglei state. Most of those waiting for food here have lost all their property and livelihoods.
SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Nikoi, World Food Program Country Director South Sudan:
“Today we are operating four helicopters, taking food into Pibor, to Gumruk, in a day or two to Likuangole to assist the population. It is not enough; we need more and much bigger helicopters that will be able to do this more efficiently.”
Sixty percent of all road infrastructures in most of South Sudan is cutoff for seven months of the year. WFP has been airlifting food rations but they require and additional (USD) $5 million for more helicopters to airlift the much needed food.
The United Nations launched one of the most complex and expensive emergency operations in South Sudan since the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agrement) was signed in 2005, urging the international community and donors to dig deep and give more for the world’s newest nation.
Only six months after its independence and South Sudan faces multiple challenges with insecurity in Jonglei. For those that survive the attack, another challenge awaits them, if WFP cannot get them the life saving food.
SOUNDBITE (Murle) Kurkur Lutilah, Beneficiary:
“The reason I am here is because of the fighting. Some of my children are still in the bush and some of them are here with me now. I am looking for food so that my family can have something to eat.”
The Lou Nuer attackers burned down a number of huts and seized thousands of cattle from their rival Murle tribe, in what is believed to be in retaliation for an attack by the Murle in August last year in which over 600 were reported to have been killed.
SOUNDBITE (Murle) Nyadith Mathian, Beneficiary:
“The food that I am seeing here will not be enough for the people because there are still people in the bush who are afraid to come, thinking that the situation is not stable.”
There have been reports of counter attacks in the Lou Nuer area of Akobo County by elements believed to be from the Murle tribe, adding to the cycle of violence in Jonglei state.
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