Children bear brunt of South Sudan conflict as fighting flares

South Sudan’s brutal conflict is exacting a severe toll on children in the country, with more than half of those displaced being adolescents.

Already, fighting has seen over 700,000 people internally displaced and according to UN inter-agency figures, 60 percent of those are children.  Now, with violence once again flaring up, more lives are on the line.

The past few days have seen fresh clashes between government troops and opposition forces, threatening a fragile peace, brokered by a ceasefire signed only in January. 

Both sides have blamed each other for the latest violence that’s gripped the town of Malakal, the capital of the country’s Upper Nile state, where World Vision, along with other aid agencies, have been working hard to distribute much needed food and resources.  Michael Arunga, a representative for World Vision currently based in South Sudan noted the added strain recent fighting has put on resources;

“Humanitarian agencies, including World Vision, are striving to reach out with relief rations but the need outstrips supply. Desperate women and children are crying out for support.”

 
Poverty and food insecurity have become acute problems, particularly for those least able to fend for themselves.   Mass displacements have left many without the means to remain self-sufficient.  Perry Mansfield, Programme Director for World Vision South Sudan, noted that the latest violence is a great cause of concern for those on the ground;

"The resumption of fighting within Malakal town, where World Vision has a presence, is a big setback to humanitarian efforts."

Young children and families seeking refuge have often been forced to flee across South Sudan’s borders to neighbouring countries, with over 145,000 people already looking for sanctuary abroad.  Kenya’s sprawling Kakuma refugee camp has become a potent symbol of the sheer scale of the conflicts impact.  An estimated 5,000 children now must call this camp home.  There they have much needed access to food, water and shelter, but as World Vision’s Lucy Murunga noted on a recent visit to the camp, the conflict appears to have left many children with longstanding psychological scars. 

Often forced to flee in haste, some children find themselves split up from loved ones as they make their way to the relative refuge of the Kakuma camp.  During her stay Lucy found three teenage boys who’d all been separated from their mothers and now share a tent together.

Pal, aged just sixteen years old, lost his mother as violence broke out. He still doesn’t know her whereabouts, telling us he hasn’t seen her since mid-December, but despite the lack of contact he remains hopeful “I think she is still alive and is somewhere and that one day I will see her again,”

Cases such as Pal’s are raising the need not just for aid, but also psychological counselling and long-term support for those who’ve already been caught up in a crisis that threatens to claim yet more victims. Lucy noted from her experience at the Kakuma camp;

“These children immediately require psychological support to return them to stability, they need continuous counselling, they need a support system, and they need to participate in activities that will help them cope with the trauma they are dealing with.”