IRC stresses importance of peace, as parties extend pre-transitional period by 100 days
President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny meeting during a Tripartite Summit hosted by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Entebbe, Uganda (File/Supplied/SSNN)
Nov 8th, 2019 (SSNN)-The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has stressed the importance of alleviating the suffering of millions of people still struggling for their lives in South Sudan and refugee camps in East African countries.
“Following the decision to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days, peace and stability remain more than ever the prerequisites to alleviate the suffering of millions of South Sudanese. In the absence of a political solution and if high levels of violence were to return, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would be highly concerned with their fates,” said James Reynolds, head of delegation for the ICRC in South Sudan.
The humanitarian organization emphasized that, “South Sudanese need to feel safe and are living in constant uncertainty of what the future will hold. Millions of them already rely on meagre resources and they could lose the little they have left if the situation deteriorates.”
The International Rescue Committee noted that the signing of the peace agreement has led to a significant reduction in violence and the restoration of relative calm in different parts of the country.
“After years of war and violence, the peace deal signed in September 2018 by the main parties to the conflict has offered most of South Sudan a welcome period of calm and the ICRC has observed small but encouraging signs of improvement in the country. Humanitarian access has increased, food insecurity has reduced slightly, families are slowly returning home and some parts of the country are enjoying sustained stability. This has allowed the ICRC to shift part of its emergency food response toward a more sustainable approach through the distribution of seeds, tools and fishing kits.”
Adding that, “Many South Sudanese fear the current fragile stability could be short-lived and that conflict could break out once again. In addition, recent massive flooding has put a large part of the population at risk, and while access to these communities is already complex, a resurgence in fighting could push the country back toward a humanitarian crisis of unknown magnitude.”
The IRC said noted that the signing of the peace agreement in September last year raised a glimpse of hopes among the refugees and encouraged them to return home to rebuild their lives.
“The good news is that this year growing numbers of South Sudanese have returned home, in part because of political tensions in refugee communities, in part because of increased hopes for peace. But their situation remains dire. The ICRC will continue its humanitarian operations to alleviate the needs of the most affected communities all over South Sudan.”
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