Refugees International: Missions: October 2004 - Quiet Crises: Mission to Sudan and Ethiopia

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October 2004 - Quiet Crises: Mission to Sudan and Ethiopia

10/20/2004

Refugees International is continuing its work in Sudan and Ethiopia with a four-week mission by Senior Advocate Larry Thompson.

Although eclipsed in the media by the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the people of southern Sudan are the victims of a savage 21-year civil war between North and South that has killed an estimated 2 million people and displaced 4 million. During the last two years a cease fire and peace talks between north and south in Naivasha, Kenya have raised hopes for the end of this war, but the failure to conclude the talks has incited fears that southern Sudan could, once again, “slide into chaos.”

Anticipating peace, refugees and displaced persons are beginning to return home and large scale returns are anticipated. The reintegration into society of returning refugees and displaced persons and the demobilization of soldiers, especially child soldiers, are major challenges. In addition, southern Sudan continues to need large quantities of humanitarian aid. With international attention on Darfur, RI is concerned that the people of southern Sudan will be forgotten -- and all-important negotiations for a peace agreement will not receive the international push they need to be successful and thus guarantee a safe return.

From Sudan, Larry will continue on to Ethiopia where he will be joined by a consultant with experience in Ethiopia and worldwide monitoring and evaluating food security, environmental, and conservation projects. His expertise will enable us to undertake a broader examination of Ethiopia’s food security problems, as well as looking into the immediate food needs of the country.

Ethiopia has 65 million people, second only to Nigeria among African countries. Despite a stable and enduring culture, a large corps of skilled manpower, and some excellent farmland, the country is chronically short of food. In the drought year of 2003, an estimated 11 million people needed international food assistance. In “favorable” crop years 4 to 5 million Ethiopians need food aid. Malnutrition and starvation are constant threats to Ethiopia’s poor majority. Eighty percent of Ethiopians are farmers who produce too little food on too little land.

Although the Government has made significant progress over the past decade in improving the economic status of the poorest sectors of society, 57% of children continue to be malnourished and 31% severely so. In addition there are 1.2 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Any combination of drought and food price shocks constitutes a grave threat to their current limited food security. Foreign assistance accounts for about half of the government’s capital budget and there is not enough money to expand the current food security program from its present coverage of around 1 million households to the estimated 3.3 million hungry households.

There is still no comprehensive national food security plan and planning still revolves around responding to short term issues of drought and emergency relief. Only by ensuring adequate international support for long term policy changes that support sustainable development leading to national food security will Ethiopia escape its chronic hunger trap.

Southern Sudan and Ethiopia are quiet humanitarian crises. RI will do its best to bring them to the attention of the public and policy makers and generate international attention and assistance to Sudanese and Ethiopian refugees, displaced persons, and other victims of war and hunger.

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