Tag Archives: displacement

As displacement surges in South Sudan, regional humanitarian crisis deepens

Posted on by
Reply

Violence between armed groups in Upper Nile state and other flashpoints has crippled essential services, triggered food insecurity and worsened disease outbreaks, including cholera – forcing some to be displaced repeatedly.

Roughly 65,000 have been internally displaced in Upper Nile state alone. 

Access to aid in conflict hotspots is limited, with fighting and movement restrictions cutting off assistance.

Lifesaving supplies, including medicine and healthcare to curb rising cholera cases, have halted, while rains threaten to worsen the crisis, flooding roads and driving up transport costs.

South Sudan has also absorbed over a million people fleeing conflict in Sudan.

Regional crisis

Another 103,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, pushing the total number of South Sudanese refugees to 2.3 million.

“This emergency could not have come at a worse time,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s Regional Director for the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region.

“Many of the refugees are seeking safety in countries which have challenges of their own or are already dealing with emergencies amidst ongoing brutal funding cuts, straining our ability to provide even basic life-saving assistance.”

Despite the conflict in Sudan, 41,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge there – 26,000 in White Nile state, where over 410,000 South Sudanese already live, many repeatedly displaced due to ongoing violence in their host country.

The surge in arrivals in Sudan has created an urgent need for additional space, while essential services are overwhelmed due to cholera outbreaks and ongoing security challenges.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 23,000 have arrived amid the country’s own insecurity.

Some 21,000 South Sudanese have sought refuge in Ethiopia. Previously living in makeshift shelters along riverbanks near the border, new arrivals are now receiving UNHCR aid further from the border; however, infrastructure and services in the area remain severely overstretched, worsened by a cholera outbreak.

Uganda, which hosts one million South Sudanese refugees, has taken in 18,000 since March – a 135 per cent year-on-year increase. Nearly 70 per cent are children; many forced to take longer and more hazardous routes to safety.

Call for support

UNHCR is providing refugees with critical relief items, documentation and specialised support to survivors of gender-based violence. 

But to provide necessary support for the next six months – including shelter, water, health and nutrition screening, as well as cash assistance – the agency requires $36 million. 

Calling for an immediate end to hostilities, UNHCR urged all parties to spare civilians further suffering. 

Unrest in Warrap state

In related developments, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) voiced deep concern over escalating intercommunal violence in Tonj East county, Warrap state, urging the Government to intervene and deploy security services to address the situation. 

The violence has been driven by attempts to recover stolen cattle and revenge for the previous loss of lives, resulting in more than 80 casualties, although the numbers are yet to be verified. 

UNMISS is intensively engaging with state and local authorities to calm the situation, in addition to increasing patrols, however peacekeepers are experiencing significant challenges reaching some of the impacted areas due to a proliferation of checkpoints manned by armed youth.

Source link

World News in Brief: Russia-Ukraine talks, Sudan exodus worsens, Colombia displacement rises

Posted on by
Reply

Delegations met in Istanbul for the first direct negotiations in three years, including on a potential ceasefire and large-scale prisoner exchange.

The UN acknowledged the important role of Türkiye and the United States in facilitating the talks, said Stephanie Tremblay, a spokesperson for the global body in New York.

“We hope this process will lead to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, which would serve as a critical step towards creating the conditions for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions,” she said.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the talks marked the first time the parties have met since the early months of the war.

Sudan exodus: Worst situation in decades, UN refugee agency warns

Tens of thousands of refugees fleeing escalating violence in Sudan continue to escape to Chad at speeds not seen since the start of the conflict two years ago, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday.

Many others remain trapped by heavy fighting between government and paramilitary forces.

UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun told UN News that 20,000 Sudanese refugees are arriving each week in eastern Chad and more than 70 per cent are victims of serious human rights violations during their journey, including assault, extortion and sexual violence.

She said the head of UNHCR’s office there has characterized this as “the worst situation he has encountered in his entire decades of career as humanitarian.”

One in two refugees who spoke to the UN agency said that they had relatives “trapped in Sudan” because they have no transport and were afraid of arbitrary arrest or forced recruitment.

A displaced family at a temporary shelter in Catatumbo, Colombia.

Over 66,000 Colombians displaced since January 

More than 66,000 people in Colombia have been newly displaced since mid-January due to fighting between two non-State armed groups, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

This represents a 28 per cent increase compared to the number of Colombians displaced in the entirety of last year.  

Moreover, at the end of 2024, 7.3 million people remained displaced within the country due to violence or conflict – the third largest number outside of Sudan and Syria.

In February, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $3.8 million to support new displacements in Colombia. UN aid agencies have been working to distribute this aid, especially in Catatumbo which has been hardest hit by the violence.  

However, the UN estimates that humanitarians will need $342 million to fully meet the growing needs. So far, they have received only 14 per cent of this money.  

The recent deadly violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region has highlighted the ongoing challenges in consolidating peace, eight years after the signing of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, t

Source link

Gaza: New displacement orders force thousands to flee as famine looms

Posted on by
Reply

In addition to ongoing bombardment, Israel issued another three displacement orders over the past two days, covering seven per cent of the total area of the territory. 

Overall, some 71 per cent of the Gaza Strip is under displacement orders or in Israeli-militarized zones, where the Israeli authorities require humanitarian teams to coordinate their movements. 

“These displacement orders come as populations across Gaza are at risk of famine and one in every five people faces starvation,” the agency said.

Thousands uprooted

Evacuation orders announced on Thursday have impacted thousands of residents in 10 neighbourhoods in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis, OCHA reported.

Initial assessment indicates that the affected area includes eight wells, five reservoirs, seven humanitarian warehouses, three health clinics and other critical facilities. 

Furthermore, displacement orders issued on Wednesday for six neighbourhoods in North Gaza governorate overlap with parts of zones covered under orders issued the previous day.

“According to preliminary estimates, the newly impacted area is home to approximately 100,000 people,” OCHA said. 

Some 30 sites for internally displaced people, six temporary learning spaces serving approximately 700 students, and several water and sanitation facilities have been affected.

Fleeing families return

Humanitarian partners report that several hundred families fled parts of the designated areas on Wednesday, however dozens have since returned due to lack of space and shelter.  

Another displacement order was also issued that same day for parts of the Rimal area of Gaza City.

OCHA further reported that Israeli forces hit another school-turned-shelter run by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, in the Nuseirat area of Deir Al-Balah on Wednesday.  No injuries were reported.

Humanitarians committed to deliver

Meanwhile, the UN and partners on the ground are committed to stay and deliver in the Gaza Strip despite the mounting challenges. 

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) evacuated 284 patients and their companions from the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis to Europe and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli forces hit the hospital premises twice one day prior to the scheduled evacuation. 

European Gaza Hospital is no longer functional following the attack, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet on Thursday.

“The hospital’s closure has cut off vital services including neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment—all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza,” he said.

He added that another strike near the Indonesian Hospital “spread fear, disrupted access, and raised the risk of closure.” 

Tedros underlined that “hospitals must be protected”, saying “they must never be militarized or targeted.”

Time is of the essence

More than two months have passed since Israel implemented a full blanket ban on the entry of cargo into the Gaza Strip, including aid and other life-saving supplies, which continues to drive hunger and deprivation.  

UN teams report that the number of hot meals provided by community kitchens has fallen from one million to just 249,000 a day.

OCHA Spokesperson Olga Cherevko told UN News that the situation will continue to worsen as supplies run down, forcing more kitchens to close.

“People are terrified and are telling me every day that they don’t know how they will survive,” she said.

“I have passed several kitchens in the past few days where crowds of people were standing with empty pots and despair in their faces, and these people were being told to go home because all the food had run out for that day.”

The UN and partners have 9,000 truckloads of vital supplies ready to move into Gaza, including food assistance to feed millions for months. Thousands more trucks full of aid are on standby.

OCHA reiterated that as long as the full blockade is not immediately lifted, the already limited assistance available will shrink even further, warning “time is of essence to prevent further death.” 

Source link

Haiti: Mass displacement and deportation surge amid violence

Posted on by
Reply

Between January 1 and March 31, at least 1,617 people were killed and 580 others injured in violence involving gangs, self-defence groups, or other members of the population, as well as during security force operations, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).

At least 161 kidnappings for ransom were recorded, 63% of which occurred in the Artibonite department.

Large-scale attacks

This period saw a surge in criminal group activity aimed at expanding territorial control in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Aiming at destabilising Pétion-Ville, the communes of Delmas and Kenscoff were particularly targeted.  In the Centre department, gangs attacked Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau to control roads to the Dominican Republic and facilitate the escape of over 515 inmates from Mirebalais prison.

The UN noted that actions by self-defence groups and unorganised members of the ‘Bwa Kalé’ movement remained a major source of human rights abuse, resulting in at least 189 deaths of individuals accused of gang ties or petty crimes.

The UN also raised alarm over at least 802 deaths during security operations, with 20% being civilians hit by stray bullets. Additionally, 65 summary executions were reportedly carried out by police officers and the Government Commissioner of Miragoâne.

Sexual violence

More than 333 women and girls survived sexual violence, 96% of whom were raped, often gang raped by gangs. At least 35 children were killed, and ten others injured, during gang attacks, police operations, or vigilante acts. Many were also trafficked and forcibly recruited by gangs.

Although the judicial system remains dysfunctional, authorities—supported by the UN—have begun efforts to address impunity. The Transitional Presidential Council adopted a decree to create specialised judicial units for mass crimes, sexual violence, and financial crimes.

Increase in deportations

Responding to a rise in deportations from the Dominican Republic, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has increased operations in Belladère and Ouanaminthe. Around 20,000 Haitians were returned in April — the highest monthly total this year.

“The situation in Haiti is becoming increasingly critical. Every day, deportations and gang violence worsen an already fragile situation,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General.

The sharp increase in extremely vulnerable deportees — especially women, children, and newborns — is alarming. Since 22 April, IOM and partners have assisted an average of 15 pregnant women and 15 lactating mothers daily at the Belladère and Ouanaminthe border crossings.

Population displacement

This deportation surge coincides with another emergency in the Centre department. Gang violence in Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau displaced over 51,000 people, according to IOM. While many found shelter with host families, about 12,500 are residing in 95 informal sites with limited access to services. Over 4,000 have sought refuge in Belladère alone.

Gang control of Mirebalais has isolated Belladère, blocking humanitarian access, medical supplies, and aid. Essential resources such as food, water, and medicine are running out.

“This is a deepening crisis that extends beyond the capital, with cross-border deportations and internal displacement converging on Belladère,” said Grégoire Goodstein, IOM Chief of Mission in Haiti. “Delivering aid is becoming increasingly difficult, as humanitarian actors are trapped alongside those they are trying to help.”

In coordination with the Directorate of Civil Protection, IOM is providing drinking water and hygiene kits tailored to the needs of women and children. First aid, medical referrals, and psychosocial support are being offered.

Temporary shelters have been set up, including hotel accommodations for lactating mothers. IOM is also working with Haiti’s National Migration Office and Ministry of Public Health to ensure newborns and mothers receive immediate health care and vaccinations.

Source link