‘Nuba in South Kordofan on the brink of starvation’

After three years of civil war in South Kordofan, the humanitarian situation is extremely bad. “The Nuba in South Kordofan are on the brink of starvation,” Najwa Musa Kinda, executive director of the Nuba Relief and Reconstruction Organisation, told Radio Dabanga. She described the humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan since the outbreak of fighting as “extremely bad”. “The Sudanese Air Force is continuously bombing the areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which has prevented the farmers from planting this rainy season.” “Owing to the constant bombardments on residential areas, as well as vast tracts of farmlands, the people have sought refuge under the ground or in the hills, where there is nothing to drink or eat. They have now also consumed all their planting seeds. The majority of the Nuba who did not flee to South Sudan or towards the north are severely malnourished. They are depending on wild fruits and trees barks’ to stay alive, as relief organisations are not allowed access to the area.” Kinda said that more than 1.2 million people have been displaced in the Nuba Mountains during the three-year-war. “They are surviving in dire conditions. About 800,000 fled to areas under control of the SPLM-N. Some 90,000 fled from the areas of Rashad and Dalami in April and May this year.” “The areas controlled by the rebel movement are devoid of any health care services”, the NGO director explained. “Only one hospital and one health clinic are still kind of functioning in Kauda, with one doctor present. The number of patients by far exceeds the capacity of both health institutions. There are many patients now being treated in improvised shelters, and under trees.” “Both the hospital and the clinic have been bombed intentionally, earlier this year, by the Sudanese Air Force”, the NGO director noted. “An aircraft first took photographs of both health institutions, and a few days later they were bombarded.” Regarding the Nuba who fled to South Sudan, “they are not better off”. “The UN refused to officially recognise the 80,000 Nuba in Yida camp, and the about 10,000 Nuba in the Jwan Tong camp in South Sudan as refugees. Consequently, they have not been provided any relief.” She appealed to the UN to immediately intervene, and provide relief to the Nuba people in the refugee camps, and the displaced in the areas controlled by the SPLM-N. File photo: Nuba hiding in a cave in South Kordofan (Samaritan’s Purse) Related: Attacks on South Kordofan ‘may constitute war crime’: Amnesty Int (25 June 2014) ‘Attacks on South Kordofan displace 35,615’: SPLM-N (16 June 2014)Intensified attacks on South Kordofan villages displace more than 100,000 (14 May 2014)EU concerned about bombing of hospital in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains (12 May 2014) Video: Sudan warplane bombs hospital in Nuba Mountains (5 May 2014)