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Vast humanitarian catastrophe underway in South Sudan
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
March 16th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
March 16th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Seceding from Sudan has left the new nation of South Sudan in a very tenuous position. Fresh armed hostilities have occupied large tracts of farmland, leaving thousands facing starvation. Daily violence grows in severity, as the governments in Juba and Khartoum remain mired in fights over borders and oil revenues.
Fighting has destroyed large parcels of farmland and crops essential for the isolated populations in Sudan's Blue Nile State and Southern Kordofan. According to U.S. officials, 250,000 people in the region are threatened with starvation.
"A vast humanitarian catastrophe is already underway, and there is no clear plan for either securing humanitarian corridors to these distressed populations in northern Sudan or for an appropriate pre- positioning of the food and non-food items that are critical," Dr. Eric Reeves, an expert on Sudan says.
International Criminal Court indictments for crimes against humanity have not prevented President al-Bashir, and other Sudanese officials, from traveling to countries such as China, Kenya, and, more recently, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to discuss opportunities for trade and investment.
Sudanese officials announced that they have received 10 bids for oil and gas exploration contracts from foreign firms.
A dispute over oil transit fees between the bordering nations -- South Sudan has few options for exporting its oil other than through Sudanese pipelines terminating on the Red Sea -- has left South Sudan's oil production at a standstill and diminished the prospects for economic growth.
Sudan has lost three-quarters of its 500,000 barrel-per day oil production capacity after South Sudan's independence, which is a main source of government revenues. Sudanese government officials contend that the government coffers will remain solvent, even without oil-related revenues. Approximately 98 percent of South Sudan's government revenues come from oil exports.
Southern Sudanese officials predict they have enough foreign currency reserves to finance the government for another year. U.S. diplomats remain highly skeptical about the fledgling nation's ability to finance government outlays for the rest of the year.
"The silver lining is that the difficult economic circumstances in both countries create leverage for the international community," Jonathon Temin, an expert on Sudan at the United States Institute of Peace says.
"Both countries desperately need outside assistance. International coordination of any economic assistance will be crucial, so that it is clear, for both countries, that assistance provided is contingent on certain steps each government must take. Absent those steps, neither country should be bailed out," Temin added.
"Months ago the Famine Early Warning System Network warned that without humanitarian assistance, these populations would be facing 'near-famine conditions' in March 2012. Khartoum continues to block international humanitarian assistance, and we are in mid-March. The implications of allowing this to continue are unspeakable, and yet the Obama administration seems paralyzed," Reeves added.
"Action must be taken very quickly," Princeton Lyman, U.S. special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan says. "We have a very narrow window before the rain comes and makes the roads impassible (for aid delivery)."
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