Displaced Again, Stories from Malakal

Displaced Again Stories from Malakal

Introduction On 17 February, heavy fighting erupted at the protection of civilians (PoC) site at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeeping base in Malakal, where more than 47,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were seeking protection from the ongoing civil war. On the second day of fighting, a massive fire ripped through the site and destroyed more than 35 per cent of structures, including over 1,500 IDP shelters, humanitarian infrastructure and clinics. The violence and fire left at least 25 people dead and injured more than 120 others.

Humanitarians are working tirelessly to beat the clock and ensure that more than 40,000 IDPs have sufficient shelter before the onset of the rainy season, as congestion leads to poor sanitation and increases the risk for the spread of disease. Even before the February attack, approximately 36,000 people were living in severely crowded conditions.

As the fighting spread, most IDPs fled their shelters to areas of the UNMISS base perceived to be safer but not suitable for accommodating thousands of IDPs. In the initial weeks, an estimated 30,000 people lived in makeshift shelters on the base. The area was extremely crowded, with an estimated average of only 2.5–3.5 square metres (m2) of living space per person. In the chaos, approximately 4,000 people fled the base for Malakal town and surrounding areas.

IOM/Muse Mohammed

Before the destruction – February 2016 After a devastating rainy season in 2014, IOM led a massive expansion of the site to improve living conditions and IDP access to relief services, extending and rehabilitating 441,000m2 of additional land. The new space enabled IDPs to move out of the old PoC sites in the UNMISS logistics base to improved areas with proper drainage, organized shelters, water points, latrines and other services.

While the expansion increased habitable space and improved conditions, the project was based on a population of 18,000 IDPs. By December 2015, more than 47,000 IDPs were living at the site and conditions were crowded, particularly in Sector 1, which sheltered 28,800 individuals at a population density of 7m2 per person, far below the 30m2 per person SPHERE standard.

In response to an influx of 16,000 IDPs in late July and early August 2015, the Shelter/Non-Food Items Cluster led by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) constructed emergency shelters that provided space for up to 50 people each. Designed as a temporary measure, the growing population made it difficult for agencies to meet the needs of IDPs. On 10 January 2016, a fire broke out in the Malakal PoC site, killing one person, injuring eight others and damaging the shelters of over 266 households. The destruction was made worse by the inability of first responders to access the site due to shelters crowding along access roads. The January fire highlighted the urgency to further decongest the existing site.

Malakal PoC Site 2015 IOM/Brendan Bannon

IOM response in the wake of destruction Suddenly, many IDPs found themselves in the exact same situation as 2014 – sheltering in extremely crowded conditions in the UNMISS logistics base.

During the fighting and fire on 17 and 18 February, the IOM Clinic in Sector 2 and IOM health post near sector 3 were destroyed. The clinic, with a five‐bed maternity ward, was new and had just opened in late 2015. The fire also destroyed other humanitarian structures, such as the International Medical Corps (IMC) clinic, water points, schools and community centres.

In the wake of the fighting, IOM staff rushed to ensure that water continued to flow to the logistics base, also known as the old PoC sites. On 18 February, one South Sudanese IOM staff travelled 2km to the IOM water pump

at the White Nile River to prevent a breakage in the supply despite unpredictable security conditions. Medical staff stepped in to help treat wounded IDPs, and IOM set up a temporary clinic by the afternoon of 19 February to offer full primary health care services. IOM deployed an emergency surge team on 19 February and began dispatching relief items.

Now that IDPs have fled the improved areas, humanitarians fear a repeat of 2014, when thousands lived in kneehigh water and waterborne diseases were rampant. Addressing the already immense humanitarian needs is urgent, and all humanitarian actors and UNMISS are collaborating to improve conditions as quickly as possible.

By May, approximately 2,000-3,000 IDPs continued to live in the old PoC sites. Landworks to improve drainage and rehabilitate destroyed areas are ongoing, while DRC continues to provide shelter support to those whose homes were destroyed or damaged. IOM has since rebuilt its clinic in Sector 2, transferring full services by 16 May.

Destruction of Malakal PoC Site. IOM/Gonzalez Palau

Medical staff provide health consultations in the temporary clinic. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Community workers collect waste in old PoC sites. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Site planning team surveys land to be rehabilitated. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Shelter/NFI Cluster materials stored in humanitarian logistics hub. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Muddy conditions after first rain. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

The rainy season Early rains in March underlined the need to quickly reconstruct the damaged areas of the site and enable IDPs to return and rebuild their shelters. The rainy season in South Sudan, which typically begins in May and lasts for several months, can be severe. The UN estimates that it renders approximately 60 per cent of the country inaccessible by road.

IOM/ Muse Mohammed

IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Angelo’s Story Angelo stands on the barren piece of ground where his home once stood at the Malakal PoC site. On 18 February, it was destroyed by the fighting and a fire that ripped through his shelter. His family’s belongings were ruined, and they were forced to flee to the UNMISS logistics base. In the wake of the fighting, Angelo and his family sleep under the shade of a large truck. “It’s amazing really. It is hopeless. This is what many of us feel while living here: hopelessness.” Angelo is very concerned about the spread of diseases during the rainy season if IDPs are left in crowded conditions. “With all of these people out in the open including some setting up homes in ditches, they are going to be flooded when the rain season comes. Living conditions like this can easily spread diseases.

An outbreak can kill even more people than guns”. “We are all ready to go back to where we lost our homes but there is simply no guarantee of safety anymore.” (Interview, March 2016)

IOM/ Muse Mohammed

IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Sarah’s Story Originally from Malakal town, Sarah and her husband were farmers and grew and sold an assortment of crops. When the war came to Malakal in December 2013, she and her family of eight fled to the PoC site. After the February 2016 attack, Sarah was forced to flee to a crumbling church in Malakal town, fearing revenge due to her ethnicity. In Malakal town, she is by herself. Her family had fled to Juba last year, but she had to stay behind as she has a disability, having lost a leg in a car crash in 1995.

Now seeking refuge in the town, Sarah does not have access to the same level of assistance as she would normally get within the PoC site. “I still get in contact with my family regularly but they are also struggling in Juba. When you are outside of the PoC you have to pay for everything with money we often don’t have.” (Interview, March 2016)

IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Nyarok’s Story Most IDPs fled the February fighting with little‐to‐no belongings, many with literally only the clothing on their backs, including Nyarok, a young mother of four. Her shelter was burned to the ground, and she is living with her relatives and children in two tents cobbled together with IOM plastic tarp, poles and sheets. Nyarok has not seen two of her sons since the war started and does not know where they are. She and her family are weary; this is not the first time they have been displaced while at the PoC site. On 7 December, she and her family were evicted from the old PoC site before shelter and land was available for them in Sector 4. She says they knew something like this might happen, so they did not want to move to Sector 4. Despite immense needs, when asked what she wanted most, Nyarok said “we only want our people to live in peace.” (Interview, March 2016)

Nyarock, right. IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Anyesa’s Story Anyesa was on night‐duty as a traditional birthing attendant (TBA) at the IOM clinic in Sector 2 when the fighting broke out on 17 February. The clinic was quickly caught in the middle of the fighting, as armed actors shot at each other across the clinic grounds. During the day on Wednesday, tensions were already high, so Anyesa sent home a woman who had just given birth, as she knew it would not be safe for her to stay. On the night of 17 February, Anyesa and another TBA were stuck in the compound and heard the fighting, including a grenade (evidence of which was found the next day). At one point, she heard people discussing whether or not to burn down the clinic.

All she could do was pray. On 18 February, they made it out safely. When asked what she hopes for her country, she said “I don’t want anything but peace. Even if all we have is a tree to live under, there is no problem as long as there is peace.” (Interview, March 2016)

Anyese, TBA IOM/ Muse Mohammed

Bianca’s Story Bianca, who has been part of the IOM site expansion team helping to improve the PoC site in Malakal since 2014, was in the Malakal PoC when the fighting erupted on 17 February. On Thursday morning, Bianca and others made their way into the old PoC site to help however they could. They carried buckets of water and oral rehydration salts to give to children suddenly displaced—tired, thirsty and confused by the unfolding events. At 1900 hours on Thursday night, Bianca received word that one of her relatives sheltering in the PoC site had been injured by a stray bullet during the attack. Bianca found her way to her relative and helped her access the IMC clinic, where doctors operated on her and saved her life.

She remembers only a chaotic and dramatic scene from the attack and the proceeding days. As part of her daily duties, Bianca ensures that heavy machinery is in place and coordinated for site expansion activities. However, on Friday, this duty took a sad turn, as she had to mobilize the excavators that were needed to prepare the graves for the victims of the tragedy that unfolded on the days before.

Despite this, Bianca, who began working with IOM in 2012 to assist with the movement of returnees from Khartoum to South Sudan, still sees a chance for peace: “I hope things will change; I have faith that it will one day.”

(Interview, April 2016)

Bianca, IOM Operations IOM/Ashley Mclaughlin

Jane’s Story As soon as the IDPs began to flow into the old PoC sites, Jane knew humanitarians had a disaster on their hands.

“Once UNMISS opened the gate to the logistics base, IDPs moved in. Some people tried to salvage items when they ran, kids were scattered everywhere and families were split.” The situation was chaotic, so humanitarians were prioritizing immediate needs, particularly delivering food, water and oral hydration salts to children. “Every cluster conducted a quick assessment of what needed to be done. The immediate response was quite fast across the board.” Jane saw that the effectiveness of IOM’s response was largely due to the overwhelming commitment of its national staff, who, given the political context, were true humanitarians, maintaining principles of commitment and neutrality in their work. One such staff member, a WASH officer, has developed such a positive reputation with the IDP community for his unyielding commitment that IDPs will not harm him, no matter his ethnicity, because they know he is only there to help. (Interview, March 2016)

Jane, CCCM Officer

Donavan’s Story

Donovan, Logistics Officer

Donavan was the officer-in-charge for IOM in Malakal the day the fighting broke out, giving him double priorities: enabling a rapid response and ensuring the safety of IOM staff. He recognized right away that conditions were going to be severe and a massive response was needed. In order to access critical lifesaving items stored in IOMmanaged rubhalls, Donavan obtained force protection from the UN to travel to the humanitarian logistics base, which was located close to where the fighting was taking place. Without access to these items, pre-positioned by the various clusters, the response would not have been as nearly as efficient. He and other IOM staff were also able to quickly travel to the damaged areas and recover critical items, such as water tanks and generators. During one of the more perilous moments, Donavan and the IOM team had to work quickly with the UN to gain access to the PoC site to rescue a staff member who was caught in the middle of the fighting.

Displaced IDPs in the old PoC Site. IOM/Muse Mohammed

Working in South Sudan since 2012, Donavan is most concerned by the generation of children growing up in this war. “The children haven’t done anything in this war, they should not be part of it, but they think they are. If you can’t build a safe environment for those who are displaced right now, which generation are you going to look at in the future?” (Interview, March 2016)

Nyaban and Nyabi’s Story Sisters Nyban and Nyabi lost their homes on 18 February during the attack on the PoC site. The sisters were former locals of Malakal town, with their own families, children, husbands and independent lives. Years before the war broke out in Upper Nile, Nyban and Nyabi both lost their husbands to illnesses, and, since then, they have relied on each other for support as they raise their children together. By the time that the battlefront came to their doorstep in late 2013, they decided like many others to leave their homes to seek shelter and protection within the UN compound. Upon arrival, the sisters had shelters where they joined their homes.

Nyban and Nyabi IOM/ Muse Mohammed Their lives were again forcibly changed when on the night of 17 February. “We remember the night of the attack.

It was the shouting that woke us up. When we heard the fighting and shooting start, we were worried for our lives and started to pack our things”, recalls Nyabi. The fire that consumed a large part of the PoC site did not begin in the same block that Nyban and Nyabi lived in. “At night we heard the fire from very far away but then it began to spread. We saw it slowly creep closer towards us over night. We could not sleep.” By morning, the fire got too close and they were forced to flee the path of the fire as it consumed their homes. “Everything we had is lost. Nearly all of our belongings, our clothes, jewellery, and whatever else that we brought from our live in Malakal are reduced to ashes.” Now, Nyban and Nyabi collect the scraps of their homes in hopes of being able to rebuild a new home.

(Interview, March 2016)

For more information: International Organization for Migration (IOM) in South Sudan New Industrial Area, Northern Bari, Juba, South Sudan E-mail: iomjuba@iom.int http://southsudan.iom.int/ Front/Back Cover: IOM/Muse Mohammed IOM’s emergency operations are supported by:

IOM provides primary health care in temporary clinic. IOM/Leonard Doyle