Tag Archives: Catholic Relief Services

September 25, 2012 · 1:22 am

Food, Clothing, Tech, and Logistics All Crucial for Syrian Aid

Though many families have fled Homs, a few choose to return to their homes in the neighbourhood of Baba Amr despite the challenges. Of those who have fled from Homs to Aleppo,many were later forced to move along when the fighting intensified there as well (photo courtesy WFP/Abeer Etefa)

This week I have an article on the History News Network about why humanitarian aid is so critical for Syria. We have to look ahead too, with winter not too far around the corner.

If the conflict continues, humanitarian needs are only going to increase. When you add colder temperatures on top of this prospect, it is cause for great alarm. Winter clothing will be needed for refugees from the Syrian conflict, in addition to food and other basic items.

Here is some of the latest information from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on its hunger relief efforts for Syrian war victims. In September WFP is feeding around 1.5 million people in 14 Syrian governorates affected by the conflict. WFP works through its partner the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

WFP says, “The situation remains tense across the country with armed activities on-going in various governorates and on international roads causing WFP dispatches to be delayed and monitoring activities hindered especially in Idleb, Homs and Aleppo.”

WFP relies on voluntary donations from the international community. There have been generous donations already from the United States and other countries. But so much more is needed given the size of the emergency. That is why funding for the U.S. Food for Peace program, which is a major supporter of WFP, is so crucial.

WFP currently faces a $61 million shortage of funding in Syria. Another vital aspect of WFP’s work is in the area of communications and logistics. These measures help connect aid groups so they can better coordinate operations and transportation.

WFP reported last week, “Urgent funding is also needed to continue implementing activities under the Special Operation (SO) 200477, aimed at augmenting WFP’s capacity in logistics, communication and security amidst the increasingly challenging environment.”

In addition to relief activities inside Syria there is help needed for hundreds of thousands who have fled the country into neighboring Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. WFP also needs additional funding for this operation.

Catholic Relief Services is also carrying on relief work to help the refugees, with their focus on Jordan and Lebanon. They are also urging people to contact Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to build support for helping the refugees and ending the conflict.

Article first published as Food, Clothing, Tech, and Logistics All Crucial for Syrian Aid on Blogcritics.

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September 12, 2012 · 12:33 am

In Search of Peace in South Sudan

Father Joseph Otto of Magwi, South Sudan holds mass every day, even if no one attends. If only all of South Sudan, or everywhere for that matter, could hear him when he reads “Blessed are the peacemakers” from the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible. For what South Sudan needs more than anything is apostles of peace.


Father Joseph Otto of St. Theresa Parish in Magwi, South Sudan (Photo by Karen Kasmauski for Catholic Relief Services) 

Conflict threatens South Sudan a year after it gained independence. There is fighting with its northern neighbor Sudan, which is causing a major humanitarian emergency with hundreds of thousands of refugees. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is airlifting food to the displaced, including Plumpy’Sup to prevent the wasting of thousands of infants.

The longer the conflict goes on the greater the humanitarian nightmare. There needs to be a demilitarized border zone between South Sudan and Sudan and safe humanitarian access to reach all of the suffering.

There is also internal conflict. In Jonglei, the largest state in South Sudan, 24 soldiers were killed last month in attacks from an insurgent group.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says it is “particularly concerned by the apparent emergence in Jonglei of an armed insurgency group linked to the militia leader David Yau Yau, which is believed to be acting in concert with groups of armed youths who have evaded the civilian disarmament operation in the state.”

Last year fighting between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes escalated. People were killed or kidnapped, homes burned to the ground, and thousands displaced.


Displaced people in Pibor, Jonglei state (OCHA photo)This year the fledgling government began a major peace and disarmament initiative. Hilde F. Johnson, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to South Sudan, says, “The widespread possession, and use, of illegal weapons by the communities and the proliferation of small arms constitutes a significant threat to peace and security in South Sudan, and is seriously exacerbating inter-communal violence in Jonglei…A pro-active reconciliation process and peaceful disarmament is the only way forward to maintain peace and security for the people of the area.”


Will disarmament of rival tribes occur throughout South Sudan? (United Nations photo)
The disarmament process has resulted in the release of some of the kidnapping victims. A mother who, along with her two-year old son, was rescued by the army during the disarmament campaign said, “I was thinking day and night about my village and parents…and almost lost hope of seeing (them).”

The tribal violence is not the only threat, though. Flooding has also struck Jonglei, causing more displacement and suffering for at least 68,000 people. The UN is continuing to assess this latest development as it tries to deliver humanitarian aid.

The road to peace in South Sudan has many twists, turns and rocks that have to be navigated. It starts by ending conflict among rival tribes, the theme of a series of peace conferences this year.

After one of these conference in Magwi County earlier this year, Sylvia Fletcher of UNMISS said, “The success of the new nation of South Sudan in large part will be determined by the capacity of peace between communities and the ability first for coexistence, [and] next for concerted development efforts that will engage all communities.”

It’s more than giving rival tribes a peaceful way to resolve differences; it’s also ending the hunger, poverty, and lack of education that cause desperation and chaos. A society cannot develop if its citizens are hungry and malnourished. In fact, malnutrition can stunt someone early in life to the point that they never recover.


Commitment to community fosters trust and peace in war-ravaged southern Sudan. Father Joseph Otto of St. Theresa Parish in Magwi greets a child after Mass. (Photo by Karen Kasmauski for CRS)

South Sudan needs national infant feeding and school lunch programs. The World Food Programme provided 355,000 schoolchildren with meals and take-home rations during July, a hopeful sign for South Sudan, particularly if this is the start of a self-sustaining national program.

A system of roads needs to be built connecting all corners of the country. These are the foundations of peace, development, and a sound economy. Small farmers must be allowed to grow their crops in peace.

Once the guns fall silent and disappear from South Sudan there is no telling how much the country could achieve. Other countries can continue to offer help, but ultimately the answer must come from the peacemakers within South Sudan.

See also An Independent Nation’s Parallel Path to Lasting Peace.

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August 27, 2012 · 2:58 pm

Syria: Humanitarian Crisis Worsens, WFP To Seek More Funding

Faiza Alabed holds her newborn, with her son by her side. The family fled the violence in Syria for the safety of Jordan. (Bill Lyons/CRS)

As fighting continues in Syria, humanitarian needs are increasing. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports, “there has been a recent dramatic increase in the number of people leaving their homes in search of safety with a number of them seeking shelter in schools across the country.”

WFP, through its partner the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, is feeding 850,000 people in 14 Syrian governorates. Funding for the relief mission is short $43 million dollars. As WFP plans to increase food distributions to 1.5 million civilians, even more funding will be required. WFP depends entirely on voluntary donations.

Many others Syrians are fleeing into neighboring countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says there is a “major increase” in Syrians fleeing into Jordan. Last Thursday, a record 2, 200 Syrians crossed the border into Jordan. The average number of refugees arriving in Jordan had already increased to about 1000 a day and prior to that was around 400.

In just one week the number of refugees fleeing Syria into neighboring countries increased from 170,116 to 202,512. UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards says, “Further arrivals are expected.”

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is providing aid to refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. Caroline Brennan of CRS recently interviewed some of the refugees. One of them told her, “We escaped in the middle of the night. God protected us. We came to Jordan with nothing-literally with the clothes on our backs. The most important thing is that our kids are safe. I didn’t even take my last paycheck when we left. I couldn’t look back.”

A recent UN study shows the long-term effect of this conflict. The reports says 3 million people in Syria will need assistance over the next 12 months. There are, “Large numbers of rural people of the central, coastal, eastern, northeast and southern governorates were found to have totally or partially lost their farming assets and livestock-based livelihoods and businesses, due to the on-going insecurity, coupled with a prolonged drought. ”

Resources will be needed to help those suffering in Syria as well as the ever-growing number of refugees.

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July 16, 2012 · 10:59 pm

Budget Cuts by Congress Would Impact Hungry South Sudan

One year after gaining independence South Sudan is still searching for peace. Conflict and hunger threaten to ruin the young nation.(Sara A. Fajardo/CRS)

South Sudan is facing a humanitarian emergency, with nearly five million people suffering from hunger. South Sudan’s conflict with neighboring Sudan is escalating the hunger crisis. Civilians fleeing the fighting are walking for days without food until they can reach aid stations.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says, “In the past weeks, the refugee population in South Sudan’s northern Border States has rapidly increased to more than 160,000 individuals. More than 32,000 Sudanese refugees arrived in Upper Nile state alone, increasing the refugee population in Maban County to over 105,000 individuals.”

WFP, the world’s largest hunger fighting agency, is racing to provide aid. One its key partners is the US Food for Peace program, the largest single source of funding for WFP. Congress, though, is planning to reduce funding for Food for Peace and other global hunger fighting programs.

The House Appropriations Committee just approved a bill that would cut the Food for Peace program by 22 percent, down to the level of $1.15 billion for the coming fiscal year. Who will this hurt? South Sudan as well as other nations that need food assistance.

Kathleen Kahlau of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) said last week that proposed cuts to Food for Peace are a severe threat. In a CRS webcast on South Sudan Kahlua said that “we are very concerned about the cuts to international food aid as proposed by the Congress. Please help us keep these drastic cuts from happening.”

CRS has written a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating, “Please ensure that the Administration is engaged in every way possible with the governments of Sudan and South Sudan and with important partner countries and regional bodies to prevent a return to war, to end attacks on civilians, and to protect the basic rights of the Sudanese people, including the freedom of movement and access to humanitarian aid.”

Diplomatic efforts at demilitarizing the border and resolving the dispute over oil revenues need to be reinforced with food for the hungry.

South Sudan’s troubles go far beyond its border areas. The country is facing low food production resulting from drought. Internal conflict between rival tribes has caused large-scale displacement and hunger.

WFP warns the crisis may get much worse, “with thousands more refugees expected to arrive in the coming weeks before the rains make the trek across the border impossible.” The agency is currently short $86 million in funding to fight hunger in South Sudan.

See also An Independent Nation’s Parallel Path to Lasting Peace.

Article first published as Budget Cuts by Congress Would Impact Hungry South Sudan on Blogcritics.

 

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January 17, 2012 · 4:08 am

Big East Basketball to Shine Light on War-torn and Hungry Sudan

By 1 June, about 40,000 people displaced from Abyei after the town's takeover by Sudan Armed Forces had been registered in the Abyei area, Unity State and the greater Bahr El-Ghazal region and were receiving humanitarian assistance. Photos: UNMIS/Issac Gideon.

This Wednesday, when Villanova University squares off against Seton Hall, you can expect another competitive Big East Conference basketball game. This game will differ from others in that it will seek to build support for Peace in Sudan.

Villanova and Seton Hall are partnering with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in “Playing for Peace” to help bring an end to conflict, hunger and suffering in Sudan and South Sudan. Sudan and South Sudan fought a decades-long civil war that ended in 2005 with a peace agreement. However, violence has continued and the agreement has not been fully implemented.

Peace activism will take place throughout the game. Students will be handed a flyer showing how they can help by contacting the White House and urging the administration to support the peace process.

South Sudan became the world’s newest country last July, gaining independence from Sudan. However, peace in the region remains elusive as conflict and border tensions continue. It is critical that UN peacekeeping missions be supported and fully funded to protect civilians, and help establish conditions to build a lasting peace and development.

A peacekeeping mission called UNISFA was deployed to Abyei, which is a disputed territory on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. This oil rich region is claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, and fighting has taken place there for years despite the 2005 agreement. UNISFA is there to make sure the area is demilitarized and made safe for civilians.

The threats go beyond the guns. Hunger and poverty still dominate the countryside. Drought often harms food production efforts and malnutrition is a major threat to children. Displacement from conflict makes this situation even more desperate. Conflict exists not only between South Sudan and Sudan, but also between rival tribes.

At this very moment, aid agencies are trying to help 50,000 displaced persons in the Jonglei State of South Sudan. CRS reports that the ethnic conflict between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes has claimed an estimated 1,000 lives in the past six months. One of the driving forces behind this internal conflict is the lack of resources. Hunger and poverty feed desperation and violence.

Isaac Boyd of CRS Sudan says, “After nearly four decades of working in Sudan and South Sudan, CRS recognizes that sustainable development and peace are tightly interwoven. To contribute to a lasting improvement in the level of basic services and economic opportunities available to people throughout South Sudan, it is imperative to support communities to find meaningful, concrete ways to resolve their differences and put an end to destructive conflict. Simultaneously, tensions between groups are often exacerbated by the scarcity of basic services like access to water, schools, or health clinics. Development and peace have to happen at the same time.”

Will there be enough resources for aid agencies to reinforce the drive for peace? CRS is sponsoring emergency aid as well as long-term food security projects. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is reporting that its 2012 relief operation for South Sudan is short 179 million dollars. WFP relies entirely on voluntary donations from governments and the public.

Without food, children in Sudan will suffer lasting physical and mental damage, thereby stunting the next generation. Without food for schoolchildren, education will suffer. A national school lunch program still needs to be established.

Playing for Peace is part of a series of events about Sudan sponsored by Villanova University. For more information, please visit the CRS newswire.

Article first published as Big East Basketball to Shine Light on War-Torn and Hungry Sudan on Blogcritics.

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