(Vatican Radio) As the unrest in South Sudan continues, humanitarian aid organizations
are struggling to serve those displaced by the violence. They say the biggest challenge
to their efforts right now is the lack of safety.
The World Food Programme
(WFP) and its partners are distributing food to some 30,000 civilians in peacekeeping
compounds in Juba and Bentiu. The WFP plans to assist more people displaced in other
parts of the country in the coming days.
However, WFP spokesperson Peter Smeardon
reports that the work on the ground has been difficult.
“The situation on the
ground is extremely challenging for humanitarian operations. Large numbers of people
are moving around. And there is a lot of violence, and that makes it very difficult
to reach the people who are moving and then to provide assistance for them in a safe
place,” said Smeardon.
“Because that’s what we need above all to deliver humanitarian
assistance to the people who need it the most, is safety,” he emphasized. “They need
to feel safe and gather in one spot and then we need for our staff to be safe to bring
them food and other humanitarian assistance, and that’s the biggest need at the moment
in South Sudan.”
On Monday, with violence on the upsurge, UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-Moon announced that the UN wants to double its peacekeeping efforts in the
country.