Jonglei’s Twic East community appeal for food aid
October 26, 2014 (BOR) – Members of Twic East county in South Sudan’s Jonglei state are urging the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to urgently airdrop food in safe areas.
“The communities are in dire need of food now, not even tomorrow,” Akoi told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.
A recent meeting of aid agencies reportedly resolved that food be distributed in mid-November, drawing fury from the community.
“Food air drop can be possible now in two locations; Panyagoor is a bit dry so it will be one of the air dropping locations, and there is one location at Maar where food can also be dropped,” said Akoi.
Presently, Twic East country reportedly hosts more than 5,000 people internally displaced by the recent violence in neighbouring Duk county, which prevented many communities from cultivating crops.
“We called the food security meeting this morning and what we advised the chiefs to rewrite their food request to WFP asking them to reverse their letter of commendations submitted last month, and ask for immediate airdrop,” said commissioner Akoi.
“I think this will work,” he added.
Aid agencies have supplied food to Duk county since October, amid warnings of a looming famine in the country early next year.
(ST)