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State wide livestock show and agriculture exhibition kickoff in Kuajok

One thousand farmers and cattle owners turn up ahead of livestock and agriculture trade fair in Warrap state on Thursday.

Today’s event in Kuajok gives herders and farmers groups opportunities to advertise livestock and local produce in the seeds fair exhibition in Kuajok Theatre.

The purpose is to encourage the commercialization of the livestock and farming sector. Farmers display their agricultural products, tools and demonstrate technologies, including irrigation systems and seed treatment.

Paul Thon Akech is the Head of Field Office in Kuajok, Warrap State. He said the winners would walk away with some cash amount twenty-nine thousand SSP equivalent of 70 US dollars.

According to FAO, over seven hundred cows, 400 sheep and goats were registered.

He said the groundnut, sorghum, maize, pumpkin, okra, and sesame would dominate most local products in the ongoing trade fair exhibition, which started on Wednesday.

Thon said the event is attended by top government officials, diplomats, and donors expected to arrive on Thursday in Kuajok, the last day of the exhibition. “We shall award winners who will be nominated by judges brought from Torit and Northern Bhar El Ghazal States,” Thon said.

In the exhibition, local farmers showcase the fresh produce of groundnut, sorghum, maize, pumpkin, okra, and sesame products of the 2021 harvest.

Some of the farmers who spoke to Mayardit FM said the program would renew the importance of animals in their lives, impact its economy, and restore hope for rearing animals.

A similar event is scheduled in Northern Bhar El Ghazal State in Aweil town this month.

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Women call for support to fence rice farm in Warrap

A group of women farmers in Warrap state says they need help to protect their rice scheme from being destroyed in Twic county. The group said they have sixteen feddan with rice at various locations in Twic county.

The farms are in the areas of Aweng, Mangok Amuol, and Lol-Kou Ayien Amuol Boma.

Alek Piot Mayol is one of the women’s representatives. She says the rice field are at high risk of being destroyed by livestock.

She said any help to construct a fence around the farms would prevent animals from entering and grazed from their rice farmland.

Ms. Piot called upon the humanitarian agencies working in Warrap state to support fencing or construct dykes that will keep animals away.

The call for assistance came during a commemoration of “International Day of rural women’s resilience in the wake of COVID-19. The day was celebrated in Twic county at Mangok Amuol Boma last week.

Mr. Yai Deng Yai is the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) project coordinator for food security and livelihood in Twic county. He said they supported the groups to plant rice but said they had no funds to construct fences around the farm fields.

Deng said that they did not foresee the risk of animals destroying rice fields but will include that in the next project to continue supporting women in the state.

The United Nations’ International Day of Rural Women celebrates and honors women and girls living in rural areas on October 15 each year.

The event considered the role rural mothers, daughters, and grandmothers play in producing food and building agricultural and rural development worldwide.

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Three people drown in Gogrial West

As flooding intensifies in many parts of the country, Warrap State has reported three people drowned this week. The incident occurred in Alek Payam, Gogrial West County.

According to Alek Payam administrator Angelo Kol Akol, one teenage boy and two adults were confirmed died due to heavy flooding in the area. Several villages were submerged in water and people could not manage to escape, he stressed.

He said the victims drowned while crossing the flooded swampy areas, and their bodies were later recovered.

The county reported that at least seven people drowned in Alek between July and August this year.

“It is dangerous at this time because of flooding. We should take care of our family members,” Kol said.

Paramount Chief Akol Maror cautioned that the high risks people are children and elderly persons during this flooding devastation.

“I want to tell the community to stop much movement at night and early in the morning because there are so many snakebites. Please don’t leave your children at home alone although they are condition to take you out like food.” He said.

The commissioner of Gogrial West County reported having registered eleven cases of people who have drownd this year alone.

Floods have wreaked havoc in many parts of Warrap State this week resulting to displacement of hundreds.

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Humanitarians aid calls for end of violence against its workers  

South Sudan’s Humanitarian Country Team warns of a climate emergency and calls for an end to violence against aid workers. 

Today, 19th August, marked Humanitarian Day globally.

South Sudan is ranked among the five countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change, and populations across the country are already suffering the effects with devastating consequences, including disaster displacement.

Mr. Arafat Jamal, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, said Climate change fuels conflict over shrinking resources and puts humanitarians in harm’s way.

He called for an end to violence against humanitarian workers and civilians. “Humanitarian workers must be able to reach people in remote safely and highly food-insecure areas and those in conflict- or flood-affected areas without the threat of attack. 

“Today, we pause to remember all humanitarian and aid workers whose lives were taken from them in the course of their humanitarian work,” Jamal said. “We also salute the courage of humanitarian workers serving in isolated and insecure locations, doing crucial and lifesaving work.

Last year, more than a million people were impacted by a second consecutive year of significant flooding, with women and children most affected. 

The UN said the situation is continuing to be felt, with a worsening food security situation, and some communities are now facing catastrophic needs. The levels of food insecurity and malnutrition are at the highest since independence ten years ago.

World Humanitarian Day said is an opportunity for all to re-commit to the values that underpin humanitarianism.

Five aid workers were reportedly killed in South Sudan this year include three medical professions.

 

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Flood displaces nine hundred twenty households in Warrap

Boma Administrator in Gogrial West say 920 households are in dire need of basic commodities in Warrap state

The rainwater which started early this month has caused major flooding in the village and displaced thousands of residents at Agal in Gogrial West county.

James Agoth Awar is the Boma administrator for Agal village in Gogrial West. He says the two need assessments have been conducted and nine hundred and 20 households were registered.

Agoth said the county commissioner had also visited the area to assess the situation on the ground with several NGOs such as the World Vision.

He said up to now it is going almost a month since those people were displaced and aid agencies are yet to act, and the situation is worsening daily.

He said the people are staying under trees, and there is an urgent need of food, shelter, and medicines.

Some of the those affected spokes to Mayardit FM, and they described the conditions they are in and many said to have lost all their belonging, most of their properties destroyed, including crops which they had planted.

Nyanut Athoui, one of the residents at Agal village says, she is surviving on the firewood which she collects and sell in the market to buy few cups of maize floor to feed her children.

Alim Chol a mother of 7 children a family of nine members said that the flood has destroyed her farm.

She said that they are not hoping for new harvest, because their maize, sorghum and sesame are all destroyed by water.

The director of the state relief and rehabilitation commission (RRC) in Warrap, Gabriel Anyar says his office is engaging with aid agencies on emergency response to help those affected.

He said they have formed committees based on clusters, so that each cluster will be able addressed the needs such as food cluster, health cluster and others.

Anyar said he is hoping the agencies will respond this week on how they will help those affected by the flood.

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Government imposes a night curfew in Torit

Eastern Equatoria state government has imposed a night curfew in Torit town following a youth group known as Monyomiji threatening NGOs to leave the area. The curfew will effect on Thursday from 7 PM -6 AM until the situation returns to normal.

The youth protested on Wednesday, demanding fair recruit at NGOs and UN jobs. The youth group gives the agencies 72 hours to evacuate counties of Torit, Ikwoto, and lofan.

Minister of Information in Eastern Equatoria State Patrick Oting Cyprian said the curfew imposed protects further violent action that might arise during the demonstrations. He stated that forces are deploying at residential areas to stop people from gathering.

“We have everything on standby, ready to counter whatever the question they are putting on their banners. So, we started by banning the gathering and the parties and all meetings. We have police moving around the town at night during the curfew.” Oting said.

The Civil Society Network in Eastern Equatoria has appealed to the Monye-miji in greater Torit to revoke their decisions.

Mr. Charles Okullu said the humanitarian is playing a vital role in supporting vulnerable populations at the state.

Mr. Okullu asks the Monye-miji to give the Civil Society a chance to conduct inclusive dialogue with the parties involved.

“Our appeal to the Monye-miji now number one if they could give a chance for us to help conduct a kind of dialogue and the dialogue should be inclusive, He said.

On Monday, the Vice President of the youth cluster Rebecca Nyandeng was in torit to address the monyomiji grievances on employment with NGOs.

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Two aid workers kills in Lakes state

Police in Lakes state have reported the killing of two aid workers after humanitarian convey ambushed on Monday.

Authority says the unknown gunmen also injured two other women who were on Board.

The decreases work for international NGO Doctors with Africa (CUAM)

This is the second incident on aid workers within weeks following the killing of medical workers in Unity State.

According to the report, the staff members for an INGO were killed while traveling with a security escort on their way back from the fieldwork in Yirol West County.

Police Commissioner in Yirol, Brigadier Taban Lueth, says his department investigates the matter to identify the suspects who carried the attack.

 “We tried our best to reach the scene yesterday, and there is no identification made to help the police trace the suspects. They shoot people in the vehicles while in the bush and immediately left the scene. That is what we got from the people who were injured”.

Lakes state’s ministry of health has condemned the killing and called the incident a devilish act against aid workers.

Dr. Jacob Akuochpiir Achuoth is the minister of health in Lakes state. He says they will work closely with law enforcement authorities to investigate and hold those involved to account.

He said the two staff were on duty delivering nutrition supplies to the far west Payam of Yirol West County.

Akuochpiir conveys his deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the workers and entire people of lakes for this loss.

Police called for calm and urged the health personnel working in lakes to follow safety precautions.

Doctors with Africa (CUAM) in Yirol do not yet comment on the matter.

Last week, six aid workers from South Sudan Red Cross were reportedly assaulted, forcing the branch to suspend its activities in Eastern Equatoria.

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IRC suspends its activities in Ganyiel, Unity State

International Rescue Committee has temporarily suspended its operation in Ganyiel Payam of Panyijiar County following the death of its medical staff Dr. Louis Edward Saleh, who was murdered by an unknown group last week.

An anonymous murder of Dr. Louis in Southern Unity received broader condemnation from the UN, youth, civil society, and government.

IRC County Director Caroline Sekyewa issued a public statement pausing her organization activities Ganyiel area, Panuijiar county. The organization says the decision is in line with global safety and security protocols that require their attention to undertake a thorough risk assessment on severe such incidents.

Some members of Panyjiar county concern that IRC’s suspension of its operation will have a severe negative impact on the lives of vulnerable people in need of medical attention.

Sekyewa justified that reason her organization stopped operation is to honor our beloved deceased colleague. And for the sake of psychological well-being, both friends in Unity state and other South Sudanese were traumatized by his untimely death.

Caroline stressed that can’t continue with business as usual without first understanding the situation and re-orienting staff bout the working environment. IRC draw some lesson to ensure that such an incident will not happen again.

The organization says its staff’s safety comes first and urges the national authority to expedite their investigation to determine the organization’s next step on service delivery.

“We will cooperate with authorities as they carry out their investigation.”

UN humanitarians Coordinator in South Sudan, Alain Noudéhou, condemns the brutal killing of an aid worker in Panyijiar County, which he said was a “horrific” attack against humanitarian.

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UN, Doctors’ Union, and youth condemn the killing of Dr. Louis

The UN humanitarians Coordinator in South Sudan, Alain Noudéhou, strongly condemns the brutal killing of an aid worker in Panyijiar County, describes it as a “horrific” attack against humanitarian.

Noudéhou says a humanitarian’s convoy, including an ambulance, was also attacked in a separate incident on the same day, a few kilometers away, in Koch county, Unity State.

 “I am appalled by this horrific news of another act of violence against humanitarians in South Sudan. The South Sudanese Doctor working for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was killed inside a health facility in Ganyliel Payam. Almost at the same time, an IRC’s convoy, including an ambulance, carrying 10 aid workers was shot by unknown gunmen Koch,” said Mr. Noudéhou.

South Sudan Doctor’s Union and Youth of Panyijiar County have called for immediate accountability about the death of Dr. Louis Edward Saleh, working International Rescue Committee in Ganyiel Payam. 

According to numerous sources, Dr. Louis was reportedly murdered on Friday by an unknown group in Panyijiar headquarter. The cause of his death remained uncertain. 

Doctor’s Union was saddened criminal murdering of a medical facility saving lives in the remote village. They petitioned for speedy accountability of the culprit.

The medical fraternity was so disappointed in the state authority’s silence over an incident, which they said attitude ignored the repeated call for protection of health workers. 

Doctors were frustrated by brutal incidents. Allies claimed, “they will not tolerate violence against health workers at your watch.”

“SSDU will consult with all doctors, NGOs, and authorities on options to boycott or withdraw from any State or community that shows hostility towards medical professionals and to agree on new terms and conditions for deployment of health personnel to provide services at community levels.” Doctors stated. 

Diaspora group called Panyijiar Professional Association (PAPA) said they were deeply dismayed by the unfortunate death of a humanitarian worker who had been “treating and resuscitating the lives” of our vulnerable populace in this challenging time.

Youth who signed the statement include Kujiek Ruot Kuajien, Mwalimu Gabriel Mut Giel, Gat-kier Machar Tholpi, and Dak Buoth Riek-Gaak. 

They said on behalf of Panyijiar Professionals and workers in all fields. “We send our heartfelt condolences to his Family, Friends, Colleagues in IRC, and Panyijiar County as a whole.” 

“His passing is a profound loss to not only his family but also to the Panyijiar health sector and the globe, especially during this tough COVID-19 pandemic times.”

“We strongly urge the authorities in Panyijiar and Ganyliel in particular to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of this medical Doctor. Doing so appropriately will bar the associated guilt and ghost that might trouble Panyijiar in future and ultimately provide meaning to the deserved legacy of Dr. Louis.”

Panyijiar County Commissioner William Gatgiek Mabior said investigations underway, and govt will reveal the fact-finding triggered his death.

According to the UN, at least two aid workers were killed in South Sudan in 2021 and another nine in 2020. A total of 126 humanitarians, mostly South Sudanese, have lost their lives while providing critical assistance to people across the country since the conflict broke out in late 2013.

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U.S. condemned the attacked on humanitarian workers in Ruweng

The U.S. Embassy to South Sudan has condemned violent attacks of humanitarian staff in Jam Jang of Ruweng administrative area.

An organized youth group was said to have stormed the humanitarian workers’ compound last Sunday, robbing and beating several staff that sustained severe injuries.

It is not clear why some youth launched an attack against aid workers. But several reports indicated that the youth demands NGOs employment and want non residents of JamJam to vacate their posts.

According to the Embassy, the humanitarian workers attacked were South Sudanese who are providing life-saving assistance to the country’s most vulnerable communities. The U.S. said acts of violence are unacceptable and must stop.

“We call on authorities at all levels to ensure accountability by arresting those responsible and to guarantee the safety and security of humanitarian workers who are committed to helping the people of South Sudan.  We also call on all South Sudanese to condemn those individuals who carried out this attack.”

We acknowledge the critical need for better employment and economic opportunities across South Sudan, particularly young people.

The United States said they remain fully committed to providing humanitarian assistance to the South Sudanese people.

We call on other donors and the South Sudanese government to work with the international community to support the humanitarian response in South Sudan.

In April 24th, youth groups stormed into the compound where humanitarian workers residing, staff were threatened and some are beaten.