Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Caritas International has launched a campaign to feed 35,000 people threatened by drought and violence in South Sudan. The objective is to raise 3.4 million US Dollars (2.3 million Euros) to offer food aid to the southern states of Eastern and Western Equatoria.
According to a statement sent to Agenzia Fides, two years of drought in Eastern Equatoria have left hundreds of thousands of people dependent on external aid for their survival. In this region, Caritas will provide 10,000 people in Eastern Equatoria with food aid and planting materials, and train farmers on improved farming techniques, in order to support people’ livelihoods until harvest in 2010.
Conflict in Western Equatoria has rapidly spiraled after the arrival of the Ugandan militia, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), late last year. As many as 68,000 people have fled from their homes and farms. It is in this area that Caritas will try to bring aid to 25,000 people in need of immediate assistance.
Sudan is recovering from 22 years of civil war between the Government in Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the South that ended with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the two parties in 2005.
Caritas Internationalis Humanitarian Director Alistair Dutton said, “People caught in drought or conflict in South Sudan need urgent food aid. Caritas is able to reach isolated villages and communities caught in conflict to provide support. Violence in South Sudan is now worse than in Darfur, much of it tribal. The growing insecurity must be addressed by governments in the North and South Sudan. If the current peace deal unravels we will be headed towards a major catastrophe.”
“Peace can be reached through dialogue. The violence is a regional issue and needs to be addressed not just in Sudan but in Uganda, Central Africa Republic, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UN Mission in Sudan must protect civilians for all forms of violence, the Caritas Internationalis Director concluded. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 23/10/2009)
