Saturday, December 21, 2013

Coastweek - The most from the coast

Coastweek - The most from the coast

Sporadic fighting has killed over 100 people and displaced more than 100,000 others in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan, the UN humanitarian agency said in a report released in Nairobi on Thursday.
The humanitarian bulletin published by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) eastern Africa shows that hostilities in pockets across region have also caused tension among the communities living in the four countries.
“Thousands of civilians are in urgent need of food, shelter and water in conflict-affected areas of Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, South Darfur, Blue Nile and West Kordofan States,” OCHA said in its bulletin.  The humanitarian agency said tension remained high in northern Kenya following weeks of conflict between the Gabra and Borana communities across various towns in Moyale district, Marsabit county, north eastern Kenya.
According to unconfirmed media reports, at least 15 people have died in the fighting, while an estimated 40,000 people are believed to have crossed the border into Ethiopia to flee the violence.
“At the height of the conflict, offices belonging to NGOs were looted, roads were barricaded and there were reported cases of cattle rustling,” OCHA said.
Deep-rooted rivalry between the two groups over scarce resources has taken on new dynamics, however, as the Rendille, Burji and Garri have been drawn into the conflict, which is currently being blamed on political antagonism following the March general elections.
The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has been providing first aid and medical evacuation for the injured as well as non-food items.
The government recently deployed the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in an effort to contain the situation.
Meanwhile, in Turkana County, northwestern Kenya, fighting between the Turkana and Pokot communities over border disputes also left several people dead.
According to OCHA, fighting between Somalia’s forces loyal to Khaatumo “State” against those allied to the Puntland administration over the control of Taleh district, Northern Sool, left at least  seven people dead and scores more wounded in late November.
Reports also indicate that an estimated 9,000 families are believed to have been displaced in the fighting.
The Khaatumo administration was formed last year to administer Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) regions, with Taleh as its capital city. Somaliland and Puntland also both lay claims to the region following the fighting,
UN Special Representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay appealed for calm, saying political differences and competing claims should be solved by dialogue.
In Sudan, OCHA said, a new wave of fighting in several parts of South Kordofan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) was recorded during the reported period.
According to OCHA Sudan, government reports released on Dec. 1 estimated that 12,500 people had fled their homes and sought shelter in government-controlled areas.
“The new arrivals are located in Abu Kershola, Habila, Dalami, El A bbasiya and Dilling.  They are in urgent need of food, clean water, and health and non-food relief supplies,” OCHA said.
In Blue Nile State, meanwhile, an NGO reported on Dec. 1 that an estimated 2,800 people, including 1,850 children and 600 women, had fled the Jugo, Seen, Com Reg and Bobuk areas in Bau locality following fighting between the SAF and SPLM- N, and also due to food insecurity in their areas of origin.
The newly displaced people sought shelter in the El Gerri area, north of El Roseires locality. According to the NGO, they urgently Humanitarian Bulletin Eastern Africa.
UN Secretary-General has called for calm in South Sudan following heavy fighting since Dec. 16.
“Humanitarian needs at the transit centers that are host to more than 120,000 Ethiopians are increasing; with only 19 per cent of the 15.6 million U.S. dollars appeal funded require food, clean water and access to basic health services.
According to humanitarian organizations, this latest wave of displacement brings the number of people who fled their homes in Blue Nile over the past three weeks to at least 5,800.

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