INTER-AGENCY ASSESSMENT REPORT OF THE LRA AFFECTED POPULATION IN MARIDI, IBBA & YAMBIO COUNTIES W. Equatoria State 26 - 30 September 2006 Background: West Equatoria state particularly the southern counties of Yambio, Maridi and Ibba have been seriously affected by the LRA activities for a prolonged period. Attacks have been intensified towards the end of last year and the first five months of 2006. The LRA has attacked the same locations repeatedly victimizing ordinary citizens. The LRA fighters have even reached the state capital Yambio town and its periphery. Widespread looting, damaging and destroying belongings and assets, torturing people both physically and psychologically, killing and abducting were the form of violence the LRA committed to local residents of these counties. The LRA activities deprived the population from accessing basic services i.e. health, education, water and the key means of livelihood. The assessment team has recorded some of the violent LRA attacks that occurred during January – May 2006. In Birishi, the first attack was in April and the repeated attack was in May 2006. The state capital Yambio was attacked twice in March 2006. Agriculture is the main livelihood activities of the farming community which has been seriously disrupted. In February there was an attack in James Dikko boma, while Niaka and Bangasu bomas were attacked in April 2006. The first wave of insecurity incidents were in November 2005, and subsequent ethnic tension between Zande and Dinka constitute another protection concern. The November’05 violent ethnic confrontation had displaced some people into town centres. For instance, Moroko population are currently displaced in Ibba and some Ibba residents are displaced in Bangasu. People remain in displacement and are afraid to return to their respective places of origin as law enforcement capacity is either at a bare minimum or does not exist. Western Equatoria is also destination for refugee and IDP returns. Recent estimate indicates that some 12,000 refugee returns in the W. Equatori State (8,000 from Central African Republic and 4 000 from DRC) while expected number of returnees from Uganda is yet to be confirmed. Reportedly, 380,000 IDPs from Western Equatoria are registered in Khartoum. It is predicted that they will return though the time-frame is unknown. In June 2006, a “go and see visit” to Tambura was organized for a possible return of IDPs from Khartoum. Major Concerns: Intense and repeated LRA attacks on civilian population had caused serious insecurity problem in three counties of Maridi, Ibba and Yambio of Western Equatoria state. Belongings were looted, properties were destroyed, men, women and children were tortured, abducted and killed. People’s livelihood has been severely disrupted and caused displacement. Mission Objectives: To assess the immediate, recovery and development needs of the LRA affected communities in Maridi, Ibba and Yambio counties of West Equatoria State, and potential needs at the assembly area in Nabanga. Area Covered The assessment team has covered three LRA affected areas Maridi, Ibba and Yambio Counties. The locations visited were the following; Maridi County - Maridi Centre, Mboroko, and Embeand Kuwanga Ibba County – Ibba Centre, Bamani, Nabanga (assembly area), Egge, Madebe, and Manikakara Yambio County – Yambio Centre, Birishi, Gangura, and Nabiapai Key Findings 2 Protection: LRA armed fighters have indiscriminately assaulted the population, killed villagers, looted their belongings and intentionally destroyed items that could not be carried away such as food, grains and household goods. Communal properties were not spared i.e. drugs, medical supplies. Other assets at the health centres, learning materials in schools were looted and or damaged. During the attacks, women and children were particularly targeted. Women and children were raped, tortured and abducted. The LRA fighters released the abductees within a few days but in some instances the victims remained under captivity for a longer period or were never released. For instance, in Nabanga, 5 young girls between ages 12-18 years are still missing presumably remain under LRA captivity since March 2006. In Birishi, 18 abducted people were later released except for a 14 year old girl who remains missing. A delegation of community leaders from Nabanga unsuccessfully persuaded the LRA for the release of 5 abductees. Family members of the abductees are worried about the whereabouts of their children. There are many similar stories of LRA atrocities in these affected locations. The LRA had forced people to carry the looted items to far distance places of LRA hideouts. The loads were often heavy, sometimes, beyond carrying capacity. The routes the LRA chose were through the jungles and were several days of walk. The interviewed abductees reported that the LRA members were beating them when they fell down accidentally or from exhaustion. Farmers complained that due to insecurity, farming activities were limited to backyards or porches around their houses. Those who have taken the risks to plant in the vicinity were unable to harvest as the LRA soldiers collected most of the sweet potatoes, ground nuts, maize, etc. On their travel routes, the LRA not only collected the harvest but also intentionally destroyed immature crops. In some places the LRA demarcated the plantation and threatened farmers that they would return to claim the harvest. During the raid, LRAs also took away livestock and poultry from the villagers. There is a strong feeling among villagers particularly in remote locations that the LRA may resume its activities if the peace talks fail. The team noticed the presence of unarmed JIU soldiers who were confined to the town centres while fully armed LRA soldiers were walking freely amongst the communities. The villagers also expressed concern that the law enforcement apparatus is very weak and in rural was non-existed. In the event of renewed attacks, protection of the civilian population is at high risk. Some people are aware of the ongoing peace talks while others are unaware. Last attack in the W. Equatoria State was in May 2006; some victims are still traumatised. An abducted woman was interviewed who showed signs of trauma, depression and was unable to express her feelings. There are reports of similar cases appear to need counselling. Due to the LRA activities the level of insecurity inside DRC particularly in locations where Sudanese refugees are living has deteriorated the refugees are compelled/forced to return to Sudan without any support or assistance. It has not been established that whether these returnees included some Congolese people from location along the Sudanese border. In Maridi, the authorities informed, that due to the LRA attacks, there were large numbers of displaced population along the DRC – Sudan border. Some people, especially young women and girls have fled their homes to evade abduction, torture and other forms of violence. Food Aid and Food Security: The land patterns and favourable rains for seven/eight months of the year promote the entire state to be known as the grain basket of the region. Agriculture is the main livelihood of the local residents, and there are two cropping seasons every year (Apr-Jul and Aug-Nov). During the first four months of the year, LRAs repeated attacks have destabilize the security 3 of the region and to a large extent damaged the livelihood of the farming communities along the DRC South Sudan bordering areas of W. Equatoria state. The attackers even reached the state capital Yambio. When the LRA attacked village(s), they looted, damaged or destroyed people’s grains stocks including the seeds and other household items. The timing of the LRA attacks overlapped with the period of land preparation and plantation. This restricted the farmers to cultivate for both the seasons. Due to fear of further LRA attacks, farmers were confined to planting in smaller land areas around their dwellings. During the LRA attacks, farmers also lost seeds and farming tools therefore as a consequence they were able to plant a very small area with the available seeds. Harvested grains had already been consumed the next harvest is expected in late December/ January. Displaced people and the recent returnees were not able to plant, will continue to rely on the host families thus widen food security gap at the host household level. Food supplement is essential to these groups including the LRA affected population who are totally reliant on agriculture. The LRA fighters have also taken away the animals and poultry further depriving the families from essential sources of protein. Other coping mechanism such as collecting firewood, seeking wild yams, making charcoal, honey collection, working as casual labour and petty trading were seriously hampered by the insecurity problem. Furthermore, farmers are lacking agricultural tools to clear plots and prepare their land. Marginalised farmers are having few tools as they were either looted or damaged by the LRA fighters. Communities require agricultural support particularly seeds and tools by January, before the beginning of the next season. Education: In Maridi County, there are 51 functioning primary schools and 4 senior secondary schools. Of the 4 senior schools, 3 schools are managed and run by the community while the government manages one school. In all three visited counties, the challenges of education sectors are mostly identical. These are as follows; - Lack of teacher in many schools. Where there are available teachers, a large majority of them are not trained. Trained teachers are often abandoning their post in remotely located schools due to lack of services and incentives. Instead they prefer to work in other professions in large town and cities. - State Ministry of Education (MoE) has planned to train 50 teachers. On completion of the training these teachers will be deployed according to the needs of the schools. However, the number of teachers trained is relatively negligible compared to high demand in all the schools.