News from the states

MPs find disputed areas now have Arabic names

Friday, 07 September 2012
Written by Hou Akot Hou
Print PDF

AWEIL - MPs from Northern Bahr al Ghazal have discovered that disputed border areas which traditionally belonged to the South and had African names, have been renamed into Arabic names.

The MPs returned last week from a visit to the areas and are due to present a report of their findings to the national Parliament.

Ngong Deng Gum, who represents Northern Bahr al Ghazal, says the renaming of River Kiir into Bahr el Arab is only one example.

“In Abiem, there is a place called Mameer which they have renamed Mareim. In Aweil and Aweil West counties, an area along the river which was called Pan-theer Akol has now been named Abu-Matherek. All these places were our ancestral home areas”, Ngong explained.

Akol Diing Diing of Aweil East says he, too, noticed that certain areas have been given new, Arabic, names.

“We have four routes that lead to Mareim and up to North Sudan’s towns. One place is called Majok-Agor and another Mayom-Amam but they have taken over these areas,” Diing said.

Deng Nguach, another MP representing Aweil West, accuses Arab nomads of seizing control of South Sudanese towns and renaming them.
 
“In the Eyat community we have four routes that lead to Darfur. Some of the villages (along those routes) are close to Majak-Baai. These villages are being taken and renamed by Arab nomads. This is unacceptable,” he said.

The MPs suspect a hidden agenda by the Khartoum government to try and annex these places. They said they found that some areas have been annexed to South Kordofan state in Sudan, while others now belong to South Darfur.

The MPs say they want to form border committees in Parliament that will take up border disputes with Sudan.

They are due to share their findings with South Sudan’s chief negotiator at the Addis Ababa talks, Pagan Amum, when they return to Juba next week.

Market theft increases in aweil

Friday, 07 September 2012
Written by New Nation Reporter
Print PDF

Aweil - Traders in Wany-Jok market in Aweil East have appealed to the Police to protect their goods from thieves and robbers. Ben Mawien, one of the traders, said he was robbed of US$1,000 and SSP120. He complained that robbery has become common and accused people sleeping in the market at night of being behind the crimes. “Such people should be asked why they are sleeping in the market,” he argued. Aweil East commissioner Awet Kiir Awet earlier pledged to protect the shops but nothing has happened.

Floods displace 34,000 in Pibor

Friday, 07 September 2012
Written by John Actually
Print PDF

pibor flooding destroys crops

BOR- Over 34,000 people have been displaced by floods caused by heavy rainfall in Pibor county of Jonglei state, authorities have reported.

‘The floods have destroyed 2,600 farms (about 6,800 acres) and displaced about 34,000 people,” the county director of agriculture, John Amore, told The New Nation last week.

Amore named the most affected payams as Gogolthin, Fertet, Lekuangole and parts of Gumuruk. He appealed to the state authorities and the Government to support the displaced people.

The floods are a big blow to the mainly Murle residents of Pibor, who had hitherto been cattle keepers.

The farmers only recently turned to crop growing as a source of living after they lost their cattle during the Lou-Nuer attacks earlier this year.

“I don’t have any hope since my crops are destroyed by water,” said Stephen Nyonyo, a farmer from Manyirang farmers group, while lokking at the young maize plants submerged in water.

“I had expected a good harvest this year, but now my farms will yield no fruits despite the hardship I faced during the planting and weeding,” he added.

Pibor commissioner Joshua Konyi said the floods are increasing and people are now using boats to cross to the market from the other part of town.

In response to the situation, Jonglei state director of the Red Cross, David Gai, said they are assessing the humanitarian situation.

In Twic East county, on the other side of Jonglei, about 20,000 acres of fields have been destroyed by heavy rainfall, commissioner Dau Akoi said.

While farmers in the area had put in commendable efforts to improve food security by cultivating large farms, persistent rains are now washing away the crops before they could be harvested, he noted.

"The current rainfall of August is really affecting our crops in Twic East. Our farmers have cultivated a lot of fedans but unfortunately, the recent rain is affecting the crops,” he said.

He named the most affected payams as Lith, Kongor and Nyuak. He expressed fear that the destruction of the crops will create food shortages in the county.

“Most of the villages have been affected. We have been talking to the NGOs to come and see how to support those affected," he said.

Rains make hundreds homeless in Unity

Friday, 07 September 2012
Written by Nyuon Ruai
Print PDF

Bentiu – Hundreds of residents of Bentiu, the capital of Unity state, have been rendered homeless after heavy rains washed away their houses and left them vulnerable to malaria and water-borne related diseases.

The victims are fleeing to higher ground, fearing increased flooding since torrential rains are continuing.

Houses have been destroyed in Daresalaam, Kalibalek, Biemrouk and Kordapdap residential villages in Bentiu town.

Those fleeing have to wade through 50 cm of water. Many are without food or clean drinking water.

Nyapini Pech abandoned her house with her five children and was seated along the road, pleading that the Government would assist them.

Koang Dak Teny, whose house got submerged, appealed to the authorities to dig drainage channels.

The heavy rains killed at least one child and destroyed a lot of crops, according to a local NGO.

“One child drowned in the water after attempting to cross a pond after a heavy downpour in Panyijiar county,” said Kuany Bol of Science of Hope, a humanitarian agency.

He added that several farmers in the county have lost hope because their crops are submerged in water.

The local director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, William Kuol Geng, said they are conducting an assessment of the flood-affected areas together with UN agencies.

Since the onset of the heavy rains in June, about 43 villages are believed to have been affected by floods. Their residents are sheltering along roads and on raised grounds.

“The joint teams will provide the affected households with tools and non-food items,” said Geng.

UNMISS will airlift officers of the joint teams to other counties which have been cut off by floods, he added.

“UNMISS will provide helicopters to airlift the teams to other parts of the state, which are not reachable by road.”

The counties most affected in Unity state are Bentiu, Guit, Panyijiar and Leer.

Food insecurity to persist up to December in some areas

Friday, 07 September 2012
Written by New Nation reporter
Print PDF

Juba - Crisis levels of food insecurity in most parts of the country will persist until the end of September, when harvests begin, according to a report of USAID.

However, they will continue up to December in the northern parts of Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap and Upper Nile, the report predicts.

Food insecurity, leading to malnutrition and starvation, is a result of food not being available or, where food is available, not being affordable.

“Prices of sorghum have substantially risen across key markets compared to the same time last year. They are likely to decline slightly as harvests begin,” the report says.

It lists the main drivers of high prices as inflation, fuel shortages, increased demand and trade restrictions with Sudan.

The rains have been normal to well above normal across the country, the report adds, but it warns of flooding in some states.

“Continued above-average rains could lead to flooding in the flood-prone areas of Warrap, Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Jonglei, potentially causing damage to crops and property.”

Although the rains performed well, agriculture may be lower than expected because many people remain displaced, according to USAID.

It also notes that the departure of northern farmers from Renk means that production in this mechanised area will be below average.

High fuel prices will also slow down production in areas where agriculture is mechanised.

In Jonglei, on the other hand, USAID expects the harvest to be near average as disarmament has temporarily reduced tensions.

More Articles...

dhalco