IRNA Report: Mandeng, Nasir County, Upper Nile 20-21 May 2014 This IRNA Report is a product of Inter-Agency Assessment mission conducted and information compiled based on the inputs provided by partners on the ground including; government authorities, affected communities/IDPs and agencies. Situation overview From 20 to 21 May 2014, an inter-agency team representing seven of the clusters operating in South Sudan conducted an Initial Rapid Needs Assessment (IRNA) to Mandeng payam in Nasir County, Upper Nile State. IDPs in the area were found to be dispersed and living among the host community. In addition to visiting Mandeng village, team members walked 6 km southeast along the Sobat River, and 6 km northwest in the direction of Nasir town, in order to assess the situation of IDPs reported in different locations near Mandeng. The majority of the IDPs in the area reported that they were displaced during the capture of Nasir town by the SPLA on 4 May. Some of the IDPs had experienced multiple displacements, as they were reportedly from Juba, Malakal or Ulang County originally, and were displaced from those locations to Nasir, and subsequently to Mandeng. The majority of the IDP population observed consisted of women, children and the elderly, and it appeared to the IRNA team that these groups are most vulnerable/ at risk in the current humanitarian crisis. Large numbers of people displaced from Nasir during the 4 May takeover were reported to already have crossed the border to Ethiopia (estimated at 20,000 individuals by 20-21 May), which is only approx. 4 hours walking distance from Mandeng. Interviewees in the assessed communities generally reported feeling safe in the area, as they are protected by a natural barrier of rivers and tributaries to the north and west and a clear route to Ethiopia to the east. It was difficult to gain a definitive understanding of the intentions of the displaced people who have remained in Mandeng, as to whether some would still consider crossing the border into Ethiopia or if they will prefer to stay in Mandeng. The local authorities were not able to provide estimates of the number of IDPs in the area, and it was also difficult for the team to estimate the figure since people have dispersed in several locations among the host communities. IDPs from Nasir town and surrounding payams reportedly fled to different parts of Nasir County. It is assumed that the total number of displaced people could be in the tens of thousands, as Nasir County's most affected and reportedly deserted payams (Kirwang, Ruam and Kuat/Nasir) alone had a population of more than 68,000 (2008 Census) without including the additional population (i.e. IDPs from other locations including Malakal and Ulang) that had come to these payams from other locations before 4 May. At the time of the IRNA, UNKEA was the only humanitarian organisation operating in Mandeng, running the PHCU with minimal staff and supplies. The priorities for a humanitarian response should be life-saving with assistance in food, health, nutrition, emergency shelter and NFIs, WASH and protection. The IRNA team noted that a humanitarian response should go ahead quickly in order to prevent a potential serious deterioration in the conditions of the displaced people, starting with a community service-based response (health, WASH, nutrition, protection), and an immediate verification and registration exercise, and vulnerability screening, for food distribution, emergency shelter and NFIs distribution. The IRNA team further noted that any response should include other areas nearby on the other side of the Sobat River, which reportedly also host IDPs, in order to avoid creation of a pull factor to Mandeng with potential protection concerns as a result. The team also underlined the need to continue to advocate with local authorities to ensure the civilian character of distribution sites and address risks of how the proximity to the frontlines and presence of armed actors may affect a humanitarian response. The IRNA team also suggests the need for immediate assessment to other parts of Nasir County, for instance Kiech Kon, where IDPs were reported, as well as to parts of Ulang County that reportedly remain calm. Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: Mandeng, Nasir County, Upper Nile – 20-21 May 2014 | 2 Site overview IDPs in the open near Mandeng Patients waiting at the Mandeng PHCU Location map Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: Mandeng, Nasir County, Upper Nile – 20-21 May 2014 | 3 Drivers and underlying factors The main driver of displacement of civilian populations to and within Nasir County is the continued conflict in South Sudan, which broke out in December 2013, and quickly spread to the Greater Upper Nile region and elsewhere in the country. The 4 May takeover of Nasir town by the SPLA, considered to be a stronghold of the SPLA/iO, reportedly led to the complete desertion of the town and surrounding payams by all civilians that were staying there. The general pattern of displacement in Nasir County from 4 May until the time of the IRNA has been wide dispersement of people into rural areas, and mixing of the IDPs with host communities, with a reported 20,000 people having crossed the border into Ethiopia as at 20-21 May. Already a stressed and food insecure part of South Sudan, the conflict and resulting displacement within Nasir County have disrupted the seasonal planting and harvest, as well as traditional trade routes, leading to further increase in food insecurity and vulnerability both among IDPs and the host community. The entire Sobat Basin is furthermore very flood-prone during the rainy season, which is beginning, compounding vulnerabilities. It was difficult to gain a definitive understanding of the intentions of the displaced people, as to whether some people still consider crossing the border into Ethiopia or if they will prefer to stay in Mandeng and surrounding areas for the time being. Given the unpredictability of the situation, it may be recommended that any humanitarian assistance should take into consideration that people are likely to continue to need to be mobile in the area. Scope of the crisis and humanitarian profile The geographical area affected by the 4 May takeover of Nasir town extends beyond the scope of the Mandeng IRNA. It was reported to the team by the local authorities and by IDPs that people living in Nasir at the time of the capture of the town were displaced to many different locations within Nasir County, heading east, north and south. Given the unpredictability of the conflict, it is likely that the displacement of people within the entire Nasir County will continue to affect the people within the county in the longer term. Should conditions of return to Nasir town allow IDPs to return there, humanitarian assistance may furthermore be required within Nasir town itself, due to the severe disruption of livelihoods that the conflict has already caused, and also taking into consideration the potential damage done to the town during the capture. The local authorities in Mandeng were not able to provide estimates of the number of IDPs and it was also difficult for the team to estimate the size of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, since people have been dispersed among the host community, over a wide geographical area. It is likely however that the number of IDPs in the entire Nasir County is in the tens of thousands, based on the fact that Nasir town was completely deserted. Status of the population in the affected area It was only possible for the team to assess a small portion of the affected population, due to the patterns of displacement outlined above. It was observed that although Mandeng is quite close to Nasir town and the frontline, the IDPs and host communities generally seem to feel safe and move freely in the immediate area. People are currently surviving on wild foods, fishing, livestock and the little that they can buy from markets across the border in Ethiopia (i.e. those with adequate purchasing power). Provisional IPC findings released on 8 May 2014 show Nasir County to be in Emergency Phase 4. The status of basic services in the area was very poor at the time of the assessment, with UNKEA being the only humanitarian organisation operating in Mandeng, running the PHCU with minimal staff and supplies. The majority of the IDP population observed consisted of women, children and the elderly, and it appeared to the IRNA team that these groups are most vulnerable/ at risk in the current humanitarian crisis. The IDP population has integrated with the host community, living in vacant tukuls along the Sobat River or in open areas. Key response priorities Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) General Food Distribution for IDPs and targeted distributions for the host community. Distribution of fishing equipment to further diversify dietary intake and promote self-reliance. Livestock experts should also plan a visit to follow-up and investigate on a sudden increase in diseases. Health Provision of drugs supplies and other emergency equipment. Scaling up of technical staffing. Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: Mandeng, Nasir County, Upper Nile – 20-21 May 2014 | 4 Expansion of health services in the area. Strengthening of surveillance. Non-Food Items and Emergency Shelter (NFI&ES) Registration of the IDP population and vulnerable members of the host community to take place as soon as possible followed by prepositioning and distribution of emergency shelter materials and loose NFI items. Nutrition BSFP distribution to the whole population, and TSFP to MAM (PLW) and MAM (<5yrs).