SUMMARY/HIGHLIGHTS
Erratic early rains break cultivation cycle and increase risk of hunger. (see section II) Juba County records high cases of malaria – 1,856 in Week 26. (see section IV)
I. FOCUS ON SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN ACCESS
Jonglei State: The general security situation in Jonglei State remains calm but unpredictable yet no major incidents have been reported during the week. Akobo and Pibor locations were reported to be calm and continue to be monitored closely by observers. No major changes to traffic flow were witnessed along the Sobat River that stretches between Nasir and Akobo.
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA): The Ugandan rebels continued attacks in Western Equatoria State on 3 July in Yambio County according to local government officials and the SSRRC. Residents of Dimbiro Village near Yambio are reported to be fleeing their homes following last week's reprisal attacks by the LRA. The LRA are raiding villages, killing, and abducting people in typical fashion, state government authorities say.
[SOURCE: UN Security]
II. CURRENT ISSUES
Prolonged dry spells raise concern over increased hunger in Southern Sudan
Whilst the rainy season began with steady and consistent rainfall,a severe dry spell across most of Southern Sudan set in shortly thereafter. The Sudan Meteorological Authority (SMA)'s June 2009 report indicates that some very recent improvements may avert the dry spell. Conditions suitable for planting and early crop development usually occur in June but SMA reports that large delays have happened in an area stretching from Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal to Jonglei and Upper Nile States. The three states have a combined population of over three million people (Source: 5th Census, 2008).
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet) in its June 2009 report warned that below-normal rains in May and mid June have affected production in some areas including parts of the Greater Equatoria region. Further to that, poor rains from May through mid-June also signal possible planting delays in many of the June - September/November cropping areas located in the Eastern/Western Flood Plains and Nile - Sobat livelihood zones.
Currently, the food-insecure population remains mostly concentrated in the eastern and northwestern parts of Southern Sudan. According to Fewsnet and preliminary reports by the humanitarian community, the most affected population are returnees, the chronically foodinsecure conflict affected households and some refugees. A portion of 73,000 displaced people residing in surplus crop producing areas, especially in Yambio, Ezo, Maridi, Yei and Mundri are now food-insecure due to escalating LRA attacks since December 2008. The attacks have disrupted cultivation activities. The humanitarian community in Southern Sudan will undertake joint assessments to ascertain the extent of the food needs.
[SOURCES: Sudan Meteorological Authority, Fewsnet, FAO, OCHA]
