War-torn South Sudan facing ‘specter’ of famine

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – South Sudan faces possible famine if warring forces continue to flout a ceasefire deal, US and EU envoys warned Thursday, March 13, after almost 3 months of raging conflict left thousands dead.

“The parties have failed to respect their commitment to the January 23 cessation of hostilities,” said United States envoy Donald Booth, at a meeting of regional leaders in Ethiopia on the conflict in the world’s youngest country.

“This failure has led to thousands of additional deaths and an ever worsening humanitarian situation, with South Sudan facing a possible famine,” he added.

South Sudan’s government has been at war with rebel groups since December 15, when a clash between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to sacked vice president Riek Machar snowballed into full-scale fighting.

Over 930,000 civilians have fled their homes since fighting began, including over quarter of million leaving for neighbouring nations as refugees, according to the United Nations.

“If things continue as they are, the specter of famine looms,” European Union envoy Alexander Rondos said.

“The rains are coming, and if people cannot go and plant there will not be sufficient stocks within months… This should be a matter of the greatest urgency.”

The UN warns that fighting has stopped the planting of crucial crops, while giant stores of the World Food Programme have been entirely ransacked, increasing the challenges for those struggling to stem a ballooning humanitarian crisis in what was already one of the world’s poorest nations.

Heavy fighting has continued despite the January deal, with the army on Thursday reporting clashes in the strategic oil city of Malakal, one of the hardest-fought battlegrounds in the conflict.

Over 75,000 civilians are still crammed into UN peacekeeping bases in fear of revenge attacks, with conditions becoming increasingly squalid as weeks drag into months and flooding caused by heavy rains. – Rappler.com