Highlights - UNHCR responds to malnutrition among refugees in Unity and Upper Nile - UNHCR in consultation with WFP and UNICEF began implementation of preventive and mitigating measures to tackle malnutrition, chronic malnutrition and anemia in refugee camps in Unity and Upper Nile, including blanket and targeted supplementary feeding programmes, and therapeutic feeding. A nutrition survey, conducted in the last quarter of 2015, indicates higher rate of malnutrition in all surveyed refugee camps as compared to 2014, although the prevalence of malnutrition remains within normal limits in Unity. Such an increase is mainly attributed to the 30 percent reduction of food rations as from August 2015, frequent breaks in the food pipeline, incomplete food baskets, upsurge of malaria and diarrhea. The survey also found that anemia is high among children under 5 years and women of reproductive age. Chronic malnutrition (stunting) was also found to be high among children under 5 years. High prevalence of anemia and stunting are due to micronutrient deficiencies and malaria among others. - UNHCR builds new school for refugees in Unity to ease congestion - In Ajuong Thok camp, UNHCR partner Action Africa Help International began constructing a new primary school to help decrease classroom congestion. With three primary schools currently operating in the camp and the steady arrivals of new refugees from Sudan’s South Kordofan, the average classroom- to-pupil ratio stands at 1:110. - A new road helps communities access services in a refugee camp in Upper Nile - In Maban County, South Sudan’s Commission for Refugee Affairs and local Payam Administration inaugurated a new road -funded by UNHCR- connecting the host community villages of Kongo Mamur and Kongo Farajala to Yusuf Batil camp, where health care and education services are available.
Operational Context - On 28 March, a first batch of 39 Sudan’s People Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) soldiers arrived in Juba from Upper Nile’s Pagak as part of implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS). They are part of a larger group of 1,370 SPLM-IO soldiers set to deploy in Juba ahead of the arrival of First Vice-President Riek Machar. As the latter will set foot in the capital city, the parties to the peace deal are expected to form the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU). - The South Sudanese army accused the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) from neighbouring Sudan of allegedly carrying out air attacks on 24 and 26 March in the Upper Nile region. A total of 24 bombs were allegedly dropped on army and police posts in Renk County, killing some livestock. The Sudanese army however denied the accusation. The relations between Sudan and South Sudan have deteriorated recently after renewed counter-accusations of supporting each other’s opposition forces. - On 23 March, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution establishing a Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan with the mandate to, inter alia, monitor and report on the situation of human rights in the country and to make recommendations for its improvement. The Council requested the Commission to present a comprehensive written report, in an interactive dialogue, to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-fourth session. - On 23 March, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the neighboring Sudanese government to reverse its decision which required South Sudanese citizens living in Sudan to have their country's passports in order to qualify for staying in Sudan. On 17 March the Sudanese government in its weekly cabinet meeting chaired by President Omer al-Bashir decided to end its open door policy for South Sudanese. Khartoum said no South Sudanese nationals will be allowed to reside in the country without identity card from his government and an entry visa. - On 19 March, fighting broke out amongst ethic Nuer in the Protection of Civilians (POC) site in Juba, forcing some 200 people to flee outside the site. UN peacekeepers intervened with teargas to break up the fighting, which continued until evening. One person was killed and more than 150 others were wounded. According to media report, the fighting erupted over gambling. The situation had returned to normal by 21 March. - On 18 March, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Nicholas Haysom of South Africa as his Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. He will succeed Eritrean diplomat Haile Menkerios. - On 17 March, the UN Security Council issued a statement, expressing deep alarm at the situation in South Sudan, calling upon the Government to uphold its responsibility for the protection of civilians and to prosecute those responsible for firing on civilians at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) POC site in Malakal in February.