Clashes in Jebel Marra delay health assessments: UN
October 12, 2104 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have allowed two national aid groups to conduct health assessments in Darfur’s eastern Jebel Marra area.
In its weekly bulletin on Sunday, OCHA said the two groups, the National Initiative Development Organisation (NIDO) and Jebel Marra Charity Organisation (JMCO) were unable to start the assessments due to ongoing clashes between government troops and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) in the area.
Aid groups have been unable to access an estimated 100,000 people who have been in need of humanitarian aid in eastern Jebel Marra since 2010.
According to NIDO and JMCO, most of the people in eastern Jebel Marra are residing in areas controlled by SLM-AW, with the exception of Beli.
“Beli is reported to be hosting an estimated population of 15,000 people while Feina and Suni are reported to be hosting an estimated 20,000 people. Gulobei is reportedly hosting 70,000 people,” the bulletin reads.
OCHA has submitted a request through Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) for a mission to eastern Jebel Marra, which is still under review by the NISS.
The bulletin said that a mission led by the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) with the participation of UN aid agencies to Dobo Jadida village in eastern Jebel Marra that was scheduled to take place on 5 October was not permitted by the NISS.
Meanwhile, OCHA pointed to a report issued by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS), which says that the number of food insecure people in Sudan is expected to start declining from the peak lean season figure of 5.2 million in September to 3.5 million people at the peak of the harvest season from October to December.
The bulletin said that findings of a joint inter-agency mid-season assessment conducted this month show that there has been average to above-average rainfall in most parts of Sudan with sufficient soil moisture for crops to ripen.
According to experts, rainfall in the traditional surplus areas of South Kordofan, Blue Nile, Sennar, White Nile, Gedaref and parts of Kassala has been above average and the harvest forecasts are very positive.
“Based on these findings, FEWS assumes there will be average to above-average harvests of staple and cash crops in most parts of Sudan this year and that significant improvements in food security are expected in most parts of country starting in late September,” the bulletin said.
However, according to the FEWS at least 20% of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) controlled areas of South Kordofan will remain in crisis due to restricted access to humanitarian assistance, ongoing conflict, and reduced access to cash income from seasonal agricultural labour.
(ST)