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South Sudan Appeal Includes $16 Million for Mine Action

Aid agencies in South Sudan require $1.27 billion, including $16 million for Mine Action, to assist 3.2 million people suffering the humanitarian consequences of the crisis in South Sudan.

The conflict, which started on 15 December 2013, has led to devastating humanitarian consequences: the lives of millions of citizens have been shattered; almost 900,000 have left their homes; and thousands more have been hurt or wounded as a direct result of hostilities. Livelihoods have been lost, and people’s ability to move livestock to pasture, to fish or to hunt, has been severely compromised.

Mine Action partners will support the overall humanitarian response by removing explosive remnants of the conflict, to ensure civilians are safe, and humanitarian partners can access areas where heavy fighting occurred. They will also provide risk education to people living and working in areas of explosive contamination.

To download the OCHA press release, click here.

To download the Crisis Response Plan, click here.

Dogs Improve Security at Protection of Civilian Sites at UN Bases

On 3rd February, UNMAS welcomed eight new explosive detection dogs to South Sudan. The dogs, mostly spaniels, are trained to detect materials which are prohibited in UN bases. UNMAS will use the dogs to support UNPOL and UNDSS to improve the safety and security of those living and working in protection of civilian areas in UNMISS Juba, where currently over 40,000 civilians are seeking safe haven from on-going hostilities.

Building Tents at Christmas; UNMAS Supports PoC Response

Matthew Williams - UNMAS Programme Officer

I arrived back into Juba on the 19th December 2013 after a few weeks of leave, I was expecting a relatively quiet Christmas in Juba with most people gone for Christmas holidays - I arrived back to a very different scenario. Following the violence that erupted on the 15 December – many parts of the country were in turmoil and many civilians fleeing to UN bases for protection. The quiet Christmas I had expected quickly left my mind.

Access outside of the camps was difficult because of on-going fighting and all normal Mine Action operations were suspended due to the safety and security risks. Whilst UNMAS was responding to emergency tasks (including UXO inside UNMISS bases) we realised that other sectors desperately needed help in the delivery of assistance as many of their partners had either left for Christmas holidays or had been evacuated.

I contacted the Emergency Shelter Cluster co-ordinator who was very happy to accept help in constructing large steel framed tents within the UNMISS PoC areas to provide shade to the most vulnerable to give some respite against the 45 degree heat. I, along with the majority of the UNMAS staff, worked with IOM in constructing these tents over the holiday period. As with all organisations at the time we worked through Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day to provide all kinds of assistance to the civilians seeking protection in UNMISS in Juba.

On Christmas day I decided a quick trip to the market was needed – and we were able to give out a few santa hats to remind all of us that it was in fact Christmas. This brought some much needed smiles to civilians and aid workers alike.   By December 29th the UNMAS/IOM team had constructed twenty four large tents supporting approximately 1,000 IDPs with emergency shelter.

Whilst not a normal Mine Action Christmas – We saw an emergency need and acted quickly to provide any help possible.  It is not a Christmas I will forget.

Matthew Williams - UNMAS Programme Officer