CISA NEWS REPORT:
UPPER NILE: April 13, 2012 (CISA) -International Organization for Migration, IOM, teams in South Sudan’s Upper Nile region are working with UNHCR and other humanitarian partners to meet the growing needs of thousands of Sudanese refugees who are fleeing fighting and aerial bombardments in Sudan’s Blue Nile State.
According to UNHCR, more than 92,700 refugees have fled the Blue Nile State since the fighting erupted in September last year. The majority of them are now sheltering in Doro and Jammam camps in Upper Nile State.
Over the past week, more than 2,800 refugees have been registered in Doro Camp. IOM staff report that many families arrive exhausted after a long and difficult journey on foot or donkey carts to cover the 20 kilometres that separate Doro camp from the border.
IOM is in charge of providing safe drinking water, setting up latrines and supplying hygiene materials. The Organization is currently providing 12.9 litres of safe drinking water per person per day and working to reach 12-20 litres per capita per pay in line with the humanitarian response standards advocated by the humanitarian organization, SPHERE.
Since the start of the influx of the refugees, IOM has set up 642 common latrines, 574 household latrines, 450 bathing shelters, 407 garbage pits and has trained over 50 water and latrine management committees. More than 9,000 refugees have participated in hygiene awareness promotion sessions and over 550 hygiene kits have been distributed.
IOM is also providing management training to some of the camp residents as part of a process to instill a sense of community ownership of facilities and services.
IOM and other humanitarian agencies continue to preposition relief items and food stocks ahead of the rainy season when transport and access will be restricted and more expensive.
In mid-January, IOM assisted UNHCR with the successful relocation of over 6,000 persons from the border village of El Foj to Jammam, the second camp in the region and only halted operations when teams came under aerial bombardment.
The Organization needs an estimated US$ 10 million to cover the first three months of its emergency operations in support of UNHCR’s activities in Maban County. To date, it has secured a US$ 2 million contribution from the United States’ Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration.
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