Displacement of the population, killings and other atrocities are the visible impacts of the war.
President Barack Obama of the United States of America (U.S.A) while addressing African leaders during his maiden visit to Ethiopia on July 27, 2015 expressed deep concern on the raging war in South Sudan when he said, “The conditions on the ground are getting much, much worse," Associated Press quoted him as saying. During the encounter, Mr Obama promised severe sanctions on the country that include deepening economic sanctions and pursuing an arms embargo should President Salva Kiir and his adversary, Riek Machar fail to reach a peace agreement today, August 17, 2015.
Humanitarian Impact
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in its Humanitarian Response Plan 2015 for South Sudan says, “The major humanitarian consequences are widespread displacement due to the violence; high rates of death, disease and injuries, severe food insecurity and disrupted livelihoods, and a major malnutrition crisis.” The UN organ reports that, “Some 5.8 million people were estimated to be in some degree of food insecurity as of September 2014.
This number was projected to increase to 6.4 million1 during the first quarter of 2015.” Reports from the international humanitarian organization, Care, say that over 235,000 children under five years are malnourished in 2015 and 50,000 of them may die if assistance is not scaled up. The International Crisis Group on its part, in November 2014 estimated the death toll could be between 50,000 and 100,000 since the war broke out in December 2013. Reports say thousands of women and girls have been raped by both rebel and government fighters.
Concerning displacement of people, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that over two million people have been displaced. About 1.5 million of them are displaced internally and over 500,000 are refugees in neighbouring countries. “The people in need for the coming year include an anticipated 1.95 million internally displaced people and a projected 293,000 refugees. In addition, around 270,000 more people will likely have to seek refuge in neighbouring countries by the end of 2015, including those who left in 2014.”
The most acute needs within the country are found in the three States that have seen the most active hostilities that include Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile. The war has disrupted service delivery system, particularly in the three States most affected. Many of the 1,200 schools in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile are closed due to the conflict. Water supply in towns, including major hubs such as Bentiu and Malakal, is no longer functioning or accessible to civilians. The UN humanitarian organ says, an estimated 184 health facilities in the three conflict States have been either destroyed, are occupied, or are no longer functioning.
UN Aid agencies estimate that 1.63 billion U.S. Dollars are needed to face the problem of food security. An additional 810 million U.S. Dollars is needed in 2015 for the South Sudan Refugees Response Plan. The war, Frontier Economics States, could cost South Sudan, 22.3 billion U.S. Dollars over five years.
