IRNA Report: Pakeer Payam-Twich East County- Jonglei State
24 November 2015
This report is a product of Inter-Agency Assessment mission compiled by LWF and supported by Care, CRS, NCA, KYA, Tearfund, JAM, Oxfam, CMD, RRC and CINA. Information was gathered based on the inputs provided by partners on the ground including; government authorities, affected communities/IDPs and agencies.
Situation Overview
The assessment team travalled by road from Panyagor town to Maar, Pakeer Payam HQ, Twich East County on 16th Nov 2015.The assessment was conducted the same day in Maar located about 38 km south of Panyagor town (GPS: Latitude N.060 52’50.98, Longitude: E.0310 22’44.11, Altitude: 405.0m). According to the 2008 Sudan Census, Pakeer Payam has a population of 22,000. The Payam has five bomas-Akoy, Adubaar, Marial, Patiou and Nyany.
The objective of the assessment was to:
(i) Provide an immediate and quick overview of the emergency situation in the area. (ii) To assess and determine the needs of the affected community and estimate their number. (iii) Make initial rough estimates of the needs of the affected population and define the priorities for humanitarian response. (iv) To identify aspects for which more detailed follow-on assessments including cluster specific assessments, would be needed.
On the ground the assessment team met with boma chiefs, head chiefs, paramount chief, community leaders, community health workers, teachers, Payam Administrator, Payam clerk, RRC, the youth and the affected families whose relatives were killed and property torched and /or pillaged.
In the interview conducted with the chiefs and community leaders in Maar, the team was informed that on Friday the 13th of November 2015 at 6:48 pm East African Time, two bomas- Akoy and Adubaar in Pakeer Payam were attacked by armed group.
The team has learnt that the attackers besieged Akoy and Adubaar bomas at twilight and then started shooting indiscriminately at any one they could see as they swept through the centre of Maar. Fierce fighting between the gun men and the local vigilantes consisting mainly of the youth then ensued for more than half an hour.
During their struggle, both sides used heavy artillery which could be heard as far as Jalle Payam of Bor County. At the end the raiders were repulsed but the vigilantes did not pursue them. The following morning their foot marks were followed and the body of one of the attackers was retrieved by the youth.
The team visited the grieved families and confirmed 23 people killed. Among the dead were 13 men, 8 women and 2 girls. 9 people have been confirmed wounded of which 2 were boys, 1 girl and 6 men. They were flown to Juba for treatment a day after the attack. Efforts by the team to interview the women and girls were futile as the affected families were still mourning and others were organizing funeral rites for their dead.
There was also extensive damage to property and pillaging during the fighting:
-112 cattle and 13 goats were stolen.
- 30 goats were burnt in the byre locally known as ‘luak’.
-Unconfirmed number of households were robbed of an estimated sum of SSP 80,000.
- 8 sacks of sugar and 2 jerry cans of cooking oil belonging to a local trader have been plundered in one household.
-6 bags of sorghum were burnt in 3 granaries.
-It was estimated that 13,582 individuals (2,716 HHs) have been displaced to the toich (swamp) and islands along the Nile in the aftermath.
Breakdown of the Displacement
Children 4012
Women 6438
Men 3132
Total 13,582
The community leaders informed the team that most of the affected population is female headed households. The displaced ones mainly women and children are in dire need of food, shelter and clean water.
Site Overview
The photos below show burnt houses with number of cows and 30 goats including sheep
Map of Pakeer Payam
The above photos show some of the areas set on fire during the incident in Pakeer Payam including NGOs team in meeting for assessment
Drivers and underlying factors
During the vicious onslaught of the 15/12/2013 between rivaling leaders in the top echelon of South Sudan’s SPLM, the residence of Pakeer payam fled to the swamps occupying the islands of Jonglei, Dhiam Dhiam and Ruar along the Nile and its tributaries. These islands were used as stop-over points and safe havens at which boats would dock and ferry people and their belongings to Minkaman in neighbouring Lakes State.
Therefore, most of the Pakeer payam was displaced in Minkaman. Steadily, people started returning back in early 2015. The abandonment of property on the way and the looting of livestock during the 2013 conflict coupled with flooding rendered the community vulnerable. The overall situation calls for assistance for the restoration and revamp of agriculture and livelihood options to sustain the economy of Pakeer payam. Currently, the food insecure communities are still receiving blanket food distribution from WFP/JAM and CRS and a one-off unconditional cash grant from LWF.
This recent attack in the payam on 13th Nov 2015 and the killing, maiming and displacement of women and children has left many orphans and female-headed households. This has drastically increased the vulnerability of the community. The plundering and torching of the dwindling resources, mainly livestock (cattle, goats and sheep) has made the community to depend almost entirely on humanitarian aid.
The community of Pakeer payam is still in panic of more attacks from the raiders. Although the commander of the SPLA unit in Panyagor visited Maar the same day the assessment was conducted, the government has not yet deployed SPLA soldiers to protect civilian and maintain security in the area as they may have plan for that.
Echoed by the commissioner of Twich East County, Hon. Dau Akoi Jurkuc, the community has requested for soldiers to be deployed. The insecurity will arguably have an impact on the livelihood activities in the payam as many of the villages will not be engaged much on the medium or long term livelihood activities for the fear of being attacked again by the marauding raiders.
Scope of the crisis and humanitarian profile
Generally, just like other payams of Twich East County, Pakeer payam is vulnerable and depends much on WFP general food distribution, CRS conditional food assistance and one-off LWF unconditional cash transfer.
Although the current incident affected 2 bomas (Akoy and Adubaar) out of 5, other payams have fled the area for fear of attack. The chiefs and the payam clerk told the team that inhabitants of neighbouring Ajuong payam and Jalle payam of Bor County have too fled to the islands on learning that Maar was raided.
112 cows and 13 goats were stolen. None of the stolen animal was returned as the bandits were not followed. 30 goats were burnt in luak. The attackers made off with SSP 80, 000 belonging to different households. The payam clerk informed the team that 8 sacks of sugar and 2 jerry cans of cooking oil belonging to a local trader were stolen. 3 granaries containing 6 bags of sorghum were burnt.
Most residents of Pakeer payam mainly women and children fled the village to the islands and are said to be living under appalling conditions with no food, shelter , clean water and health care. The islands are overcrowded and there is fear of disease outbreak.
Hygiene and sanitation of the displaced population is wanting as there are no latrines in the islands. The team has verified that 9 tukuls including 1 luak containing cattle, goats and sheep were torched and so were 3 granaries containing 6 bags of sorghum.
The community of Pakeer payam is largely still panic stricken. It is clear that the community feels unsafe and suspect attack another attack any time. As already been pointed out, most people (women and children) have been displaced to the near-by swamps along the Nile and its tributaries. The few remaining men are always on guard watching what would happen at night.
Status of the population in the affected area
The community of Pakeer payam is still in fear of further attack. The community has asked the government to provide them with more protection. So far the government has not deployed any force in the payam to protect the community and its property.
In Pakeer payam, the community livelihoods are mainly livestock and fishing. A handful of people in the payam are engaged in farming. With the incident, the hope of the community in the aforementioned livelihood activities has been dented. During the attack, some cattle, goats and sheep were stolen and others burnt inside the luak. Women and children are bearing the full brunt of the crisis having been displaced to the islands.
The majority of the populations are women and children, therefore mainly female-headed households. There is a very small percentage of elderly persons often being cared for by relatives.
The chiefs and payam authorities reported the loss of food and non-food items during the raid and expressed concern over the loss of cattle that the families relied on for milk to feed their children. Children are on the brink of malnutrition. Previously, children were being treated for malnutrition, however due to the displacement it is unlikely that they will access the feeding centres and support provided by Tearfund and JAM.
Key response priorities
Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)
There is no need for CCCM intervention in this area.
Education
-Reopening of the schools and encourage parents who have remained behind to take their children to school.
-Provision of scholastic materials.
- Liaise with the county authorities and army commanders to prevent any possible occupation of schools by SPLA soldiers in case the government deploys a protection force in the payam.
Food Security and Livelihoods
-Immediate food assistance to the affected households.
-As some people fled to the toich with their animals, animal drugs need be provided to prevent the remaining animals from dying because there were several animal diseases reported by the chiefs and authorities.
Health
-The recent cattle raid of Pakeer payam did not affect health facilities. However, the operation in the health centres has temporary come to a standstill. The agencies in Twich East will respond through the ongoing activities.
NFI and Emergency Shelter
There is need to Provide NFIs to the affected households. The displaced persons in the islands will be assessed and assisted with NFIs. This includes mosquito nets, blankets, kitchen sets, jerry cans and soaps. Reconstruction of the burnt tukuls and luaks should be supported by agencies dealing in NFI/ES.
Nutrition
Agencies dealing in nutrition will provide continuous nutrition screenings for children (0-59 months) and PLW to assess their nutritional status. This will be based on findings admit to Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM). This will include Therapeutic Feeding Programme (TFP), Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP). Due to the current situation; there is reported shortage of cow/goat milk in some households because their animals were either raided or burnt inside the byres. Also, there was no agricultural production during the year because the area is characterized by swampy topography.
Based on these, Blanket Feeding Programme (BFP) need to be considered for children from 6 to 59 months and PLWs. Lead agencies in this sector should consider prepositioning of nutrition items (food and medicines). There should be close follow-up, monitoring and reporting of the nutrition and health situation in the area.
Protection
-To restore the sense of security to the community of Pakeer, so that it can go about its normal activities, there is need to restore normalcy so that children can feel safe and go back to school. –GBV: Women and girls are at risk as most of the households are female –headed and the men have left home for various reasons including looking for food while others were killed during the recent attack in the area. – There is need to establish psychological support to address the needs of the traumatized children and adults due to prevailing insecurity and other causes of psychological distress.
WASH
Agencies will conduct distribution of WASH and dignity kits to the remaining households. These includes among others, hygiene kits, sanitary pads, soap, collapsible jerry cans and filters, clothes.
Humanitarian Access
Physical Access
The road from Panyagor to Pakeer Payam is dry; however, it has numerous potholes. When it rains, the area can be accessed with difficulties as the soil is sticky clay type and has high water retention capacity.
Humanitarian Access
So far, there are no issues on humanitarian access in the area.
Key Findings
Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)
Key findings
There is no need for CCCM in the affected area.
Priorities for Immediate humanitarian response
There is no need for CCCM intervention in this area.
Education
Key Findings
-The priority schools in the area have been closed due to insecurity and some children have fled to the islands. The team was also informed that some teachers have evacuated or are evacuating their families to the islands and probably to Bor and Minkaman. --Engulfed by fear and trauma, children are not willing to go to school.
Priorities for immediate humanitarian response
-There is need to prevent any potential move to occupy schools by organized forces should the government send a protection unit to the area. –Provision of scholastic materials to school children in Maar Payam. –More advocacy to the parents and children about the importance of education.
Food Security and Livelihoods
Key Findings
The attackers made off with 112 herds of cattle and 13 goats. Others were burnt inside their sheds. –The chiefs and payam clerk have told the team about SSP 80, 000 SSP belonging to unspecified number of households has been plundered by the armed bandits. –Affected households are relying solely on borrowing food and help from friends, relatives and well wishers. -The affected households have reduced number of meals per day. –Affected families and those who have fled are relying on less preferred and less expensive food. –Some of the households and IDPs are clearly unable to meet their household food requirements without assistance because of the losses of their sources of income-the livestock. –The prevailing strong cultural and social cohesion within the community helped those affected to get help through kinship. –Pasture and availability of water is normal at the moment; with the exception of livestock diseases Liver Flukes, trypanosomiasis, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Brucellosis affecting most cattle and therefore the community is left vulnerable with nothing to buy drugs for these diseases.