Protection Rapid Assessment Field Mission Report. Rier, Koch County February 2017

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1 Protection Rapid Assessment Field Mission Report Rier, Koch County February

2 Topography and Background Rier is proximal to Thar Jath Oil Field which once hosts a thriving community with an active market and decent livelihoods base prior to the crisis. Rier has been destroyed in armed clashes since 2014 which went through intermittently until 2016 as it serves as a military base for certain armed factions seeing that it is at the centre of Koch County and strategically placed for any offensives from armed elements. The oil companies have left ever since as a result of the December 2013 crisis. According to local authorities 1, IDPs from other areas of Unity State do not stay in Rier for long as it s mostly used as a transit spot, as there is no food, no outlook for economic activity and no available services. According to local authorities, the general security situation in Rier is calm. No conflicts and disputes were reported. No NGOs or other service providers are currently present in Rier, though strong necessities exist. Facts and Figures: Village (s) Payam County State Population Ethnicity Economy Rier Jaak Koch Northern Liech 2772 persons (Unconfirmed) Nuer (Leek) Nomadic pastoralist, agriculture and fishing Methodology This assessment targeted multi sector assessments, assessment of the coping mechanisms of the community and PSN identification in Rier, Koch County. The DRC team comprising of 7 staff conducted data collection through the following methods: a. Direct observations: Safety audit with observation visits to service delivery points; b. Short Forum Meetings with 10 men; 15 women; 8 persons with specific needs; c. Key Informant Interviews with 3 Payam administrators and the executive director; d. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) took place with 5 groups of 5-7 persons targeting respectively men, youth, women, community leaders and elderly. Limitations and Challenges Figures were often difficult to obtain or verify due to inconsistent information and numbers provided by FGD or local authorities. However, the findings correspond extensively to the prevailing situation and humanitarian needs observed by the assessment team. Findings and Analysis 1.1 Security and Safety Local authorities shared that there is presence of SSNPS 2 in Rier. Nevertheless, the interviewees among the community stated that community security groups remain the main actor involved in enforcing law 1 Local authorities referred to hereinafter are the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission 2 South Sudan National Police Service 2

3 and order. The assessment team did not observe visible presence of policemen and could not get their exact number. This shows the strength in the community based protection structures in ensuring general law and order through community policing. It is likely that the community in Rier relies on informal structures for alternative means to dispute resolution. Insecurity remains a concern for the community as incidents of forced abductions, sexual violence and robbery are alleged to be frequent particularly attributed to the high number of armed elements in the area. Rier has also been characterized by cattle rustling in the recent times as it s considered by the cattle keepers a safe haven due to the presence of large cattle camps. 3 It however remains unclear whether the population profile consists of displaced or returnee populations which may be attributed to the fluidity of the security situation in the area. It was observed that there still exists high number of armed element movements in the area. 1.2 Protection Monitoring Domestic violence, abduction, sexual violence, physical violence, and lack of safe place and privacy for SGBV survivors were identified by FGD participants as the most frequent problems faced by women and adolescent girls. FGD participants indicated that NGOs, community leaders and religious leaders needed to address issues of violence and abuse against women which are quite rampant in the area. There are unaccompanied minors and separated children living with foster families within the military barracks as shared by the FGD participants 4. Children in Rier have been highly affected by the conflict since its outbreak, as reported by the community. Boys and girls have been seriously injured, abducted, subjected to physical violence, or sexually exploited by armed combatants throughout the conflict. Many among them reportedly carry wounds and sequels of those events up to today. There is a consequent need to address this issue through psychosocial support and provision of FTR 5 services. On the other hand, visible indications of child recruitment were noticed in the area where the presence of 2 minors in uniform and carrying weapons among the soldiers. The missing persons are often associated with military or armed groups, persons searching for missing children and family members, or for persons that moved to safer areas. 1.3 Multi Sectorial Gaps in Rier a. WASH: The community in Rier reported rampant communal diseases due to the lack of clean water. The population gets water from the one borehole still functional in Rier while six others were damaged because of the conflict. Furthermore, the presence of only one borehole exposes the beneficiaries to unnecessary competition for resources likely to lead to conflicts due to long queues while fetching water. The borehole is used to obtain water which is used for different purposes; including personal hygiene, bathing and clothes washing. As this water source is insufficient, people currently resort the swamps to satisfy their needs of water which compromises personal health and hygiene. b. Health: All assets of the PHCC 6, previously supported by World Relief, were looted during last year s clashes 7 leaving it dysfunctional. World Relief reported ongoing efforts to reestablish the services in the PHHC in Rier. Children, women and the elderly are reported to be largely affected by diseases such as diarhoea, measles and malaria, without being able to receive qualified medical assistance or medicine. Due to insecurity along the roads, the sick do not venture to Koch Town for primary 3 Radio Tamazuj, SPLA accused of stealing cattle and burning homes in Koch County 4 Due to the security connotations involved the DRC team was unable to verify this information 5 Family Tracing and Reunification 6 Primary Health Care Centre 7 Radio Tamazuj, SPLA accused of stealing cattle and burning homes in Koch County 3

4 healthcare issues. c. FSL: With the recent famine crisis in South Sudan, Unity State seems to hold the biggest brunt of this humanitarian crisis where Rier has largely depended on food assistance over the past year with little efforts to cultivate land 8. The lack of farming tools and seeds provided at a large scale has also contributed to this. Cattle remain the only source of livelihood for many families within the community. Due to the cultural nature of the Nuer, cattle are only used as mere chattel and a source of wealth which has triggered a lot of cattle raids. The dependence on food assistance was observed and lack of consistent GFD has seen an increased gap in food security in the community. There is a little trade activity in Rier with goods being very expensive and due to the high vulnerability scale most of the PSNs lack purchasing power. Nevertheless, the assessment team observed small cultivated gardens and small plantations where crops were at an advanced stage though could not sustain the population in the area. d. NFI: DRC carried out NFI distribution of core relief items to 50 persons with specific needs including blankets, mosquito nets, torches and, for the elderly, walking sticks. These beneficiaries were assessed as the most vulnerable among the already stranded population. Nevertheless, the rest of the population was in a dire need for NFI items, including plastic sheeting, blankets, mosquito nets, and jerry cans/buckets for all. e. Nutrition: Most of FGD participants complained of inadequate nutrition and malnutrition signs were visible to the assessment team, especially in children, which signals a deteriorating nutritional situation. Food security of people in Rier has been reported as highly affected because of scarce food supplies, weak crops and negative effects of the conflict. f. Education: The school building is not operational; most children (approx. 400) are not receiving primary education. Rier Primary School scholastic materials and desks were destroyed during armed clashes in 2014 and As of 2016, one makeshift area is being allocated for a few children to learn (number unknown), some desks and benches are available to accommodate a limited number of pupil. Actionable Recommendations i. Protection: DRC will follow up on this assessment with a PSN centered intervention, identify and reach out to local partners to renew and improve community based protection mechanisms in Rier, including community leaders, women s groups and youth. Through regular presence and confidence building with the local community, monitoring and reporting of GBV cases and child rights violations might be reachable. UNICEF is highly recommended to share feedback on the follow up on the school, FTR and child recruitment issues observed in Rier. ii. iii. WASH: WASH cluster is recommended to consider response in testing and verification of the water quality in the existing one borehole and to fix the damaged boreholes in Rier. Hygiene awareness and sanitation awareness raising are critically needed to advocate basic hygiene requirements, mainly pertaining to the proper and hygienic use of water facilities. NFI: The Shelter/NFI cluster is highly recommended to conduct a general assessment and design a mass response to the dire need for NFI items such as plastic sheeting, blankets and jerry cans/buckets. 8 CNN; Famine declared in South Sudan; 4.9 million people need urgent help ; 4

5 iv. FSL: FSL cluster is highly recommended to consider food distributions in Rier. FSL partners to support Rier community with sustainable livelihoods and durable solutions, including seeds and tools distributions, vocational trainings, life skills training and low cost quick impact projects. v. Nutrition: It is highly recommended to consider a nutrition assessment in Rier in order to verify prevalence of malnutrition. Nutritional supplementary programs by CARE should be initiated in the interim. vi. Education: UNICEF is highly recommended to consider the rehabilitation of protective learning spaces in the destroyed school; distribution of teaching and learning materials for primary and secondary school and conduct awareness raising activities on education for children, local authorities and parents. Conclusion With the onset of famine in Unity State, South Sudan areas such as Rier are likely to experience an increased number of vulnerabilities with lack of static humanitarian support. Initiatives such as the Beyond Bentiu Response have seen numerous interventions provided in the host areas experiencing spontaneous displacement and possible returns. Such responses should continue to gain prominence through resource mobilization and continued inter-cluster coordination for the vulnerability scale to be reduced to a manageable level. 5