Tonj North Inter-Cluster needs assessment on 11th -14th August 2020

1.0 Introduction

Following the report by Hon Governor of Warrap State and RRC report of displacements due to inter -

communal clashes which erupted in May 2020 between communities of Atok and Awan, the conflict grew

to include communities of Apuk and Lou Mawien and later on threatened to include all the communities in

Tonj North. In respond to dire humanitarian situation the RRC office in coordination with World Vision

office conducted urgent humanitarian coordination meetings on dates 3rd & 6th, August 2020 respectively

at WV compound, attended by UN-Agencies, INGOs NNGOs and CBOs.

Due to unconfirmed reports of the worrying humanitarian situation of the affected population, the partners

agreed to conduct inter-cluster rapid need assessment from 11-14 August 2020, in the most affected payams

of Awul, Rualbet and Kirik to establish and verify the situation on the ground to inform immediate possible

action. The assessment was led by WV & RRC, in which eight (8) clusters were, represented including

(Coordination, Emergency shelter and NFIs, Food Security and Livelihoods, Protection, Health, Nutrition,

Education and WASH). As reported by the IDPs on the ground & witnessed by assessment team, the

conflict has resulted to the displacement of

(3,865)HH (Awul 2201 , Rualbet 932 and Kirik Payam 732), claimed the lives of 26 people including 2

children from both side, 8 people were wounded, 108 villages displaced and hosted in 26 villages, (715)

houses burned to ashes from both side with majority of burned villages in Awul Payams(e.g the entire

village of Agany and Aporlok of Awul Payam were burnt down), properties were looted to extend that

some IDPs arrived at Awul only with the cloth they were wearing and some with few clothes, farm crops

were destroyed by either attackers or weeds or animals and cattle raiding is also reported. People mainly

from Rualbet, Awul & Kirik Payam fled the area and crossed to different directions; some of these IDPs

are residing in schools, hospitals in Warrap town, empty police station in Achol-Agook, Kuanyiel, and

some are hosted by friends in the safe villages both in Rualbet, Awul and Kirik Payams. Food security

situation is deteriorating, majority of IDPS are coping up with wild food and begging, The majority of IDPs

who were women and children, pregnant women, and the elderly requested assistance particularly, Food,

cooking pots, jerry cans, blankets, mats, clothes, mosquito nets, plastic sheets, hoes, farming tools and

fishing equipment, vegetables seed.

2.0 Back ground of the Conflict The inhabitants have been co-existed for quite a long time without conflict, the causes of the conflict

according the Peace conference held on 3rd -6th August 2020:

➢ The first conflict started in March 2019 and drag on to June and July of 2020; It occurred when a

girl from Atok community (Awul Payam) was eloped by a man of Awan-Parek community (Rualbet

Payam). The marriage was canceled due to inadequate number of dowry paid by the bridegroom and

the girl was given marrid off to another man within Atok community (Awul). Thereafter the man from

Awan-parek(Rualbet) who first elope the girl continued to send his cousin and younger brother to re-

elope the girl from her new husband. They were noted by the girl’s uncle who confronts them violently.

During the process of confrontation, the cousin of bridegroom who came for re-elopement was

wounded. The incident was send back to the court, and the court assess the injury and ruled out that the

wounded man be given a blood compensation of 12 cows by the girl’s family, however the girl’s family

were not satisfied with the ruling and appealed the case. The wounded man took the law into his hand

when he learnt the case been appealed and took some herds of cattle in Rual-atok by force; in the

process of pursuing the raided cattle a policeman was killed. This led to direct confrontation between

Atok and Awan-Parek communities.

➢ The second conflict according to the same source (Peace conference) between Atok(Awul) and Apuk-

padoc Akop) communities erupted when a driver from Apuk-padoc was killed by men from Atok

community on the road to Akop. The case was taken to the court which ruled that 31 cows be given to

the family of the murdered driver as blood compensation. The family of decease not satisfied with the

court ruling as they demanding the killers of their brother to be sentenced to death when the court ruling

did not rule on their favor. The brothers of the late driver carried out a revenge attack on Atok

community killing three people. This woke up the fighting again involving Awan-parek community

which was reconciling with Atok community already.

➢ The third conflict involving Lou Mawien community erupted when a man from Lou-mawien was

assassinated by unknown gunmen in Kong-goor area. The families of the deceased were suspicious of

Atok community and they launched a revenge attack on Atok community in Mabior –atok area.

3.0 Geographical description: Tonj North County is one of the six (6) Counties of Warrap State bordering, Tonj South to the East

Gogrial East & Unity State to the North and Western Bhar el Gazal State to the Southwest. The County

comprised of nine (9) Payam including (pagol, Akop, Kirik, Rualbet, Alabek, Awul, Warrap,

Manalor and Marialou) with population of 165,222 according 2008 National population census.

The Dinka tribe which constitutes 99% predominately inhabited the County with the few other tribe

including Sudanese traders constituting 1%. Both tribes are all agro-pastoralists relying on both livestock

and Agricultural products for livelihood support and sustenance. The major crops grown in the area include

sorghum, sesame, groundnut and several types of vegetables as supplementary food.

Location: GPS Coordinates:

County Payam Boma/Village Coordinate

Latitude Longitude

Tonj North Warrap town County Head Quarter 08 11 39.31 N 28 44 39.95 E

Achol-Agook 08 25 23.7 N 28 38 23 .73 E

Awul Awul Town 08 11 09 .95 N 28 44 14 .46 E

Manyiel-Atok 08 32 22 .74 N 28 62 12 .31 E

Akol-Awet 08 13 43 .18 N 28 45 57 .18 E

Ageny 08 13 13 .87 N 28 46 11 .39 E

Apoor Lok 08 16 09 .83 N 28 49 12 .13 E

Rualbet Rualbet Town 08 06 57 .07 \n 28 56 32 .36 E

Mayar-Ajang 08 16 10 .95 N 28 49 15 .35 E

Kirik Kirik Town 08 53 22 .62 N 28 48 43 .08 E

4.0 Access and Security Situation

➢ It was very difficult for the team to reach areas of IDPs settlement along the border in Kiriik and

Rualbet Payams, because the rood is inaccessible due to heavy rains as most of the roads are feeder

roads and some areas are so muddy to pass through.

➢ Although the level of property damages and displacement was impacted severely, the security

situation in the three Payams of Awul, Rualbet and Kirik is relatively calm and stable during the

assessment. However,

➢ trust for the conflicting communities to move free and interact to each other as they were before the

conflict is yet to be seen as those who have lost their love ones are still grief awaiting the special court

recommended in the recent peace dialogue concluded on 06/ August 2020 to trial the killers and

perpetrators of this conflict.

5.0 Objective of the assessment: The overall objective of the assessment is to to provide an immediate and quick overview of the

emergency situation in order to identify the immediate impacts of the conflict, make initial rough

estimates of the needs of the affected population for assistance and define the priorities for humanitarian

action.

5.1 Specific objectives of the assessment: ➢ To establish accurate information about displaced population

➢ To assess the damages and impact inflicted by conflict

➢ To assess market capacity and coping mechanism

➢ To identify and ascertain the immediate and urgent needs of the IDPs in Awul, Rualbet and Kirik

6.0 Methodology Used

The clusters representatives upon arrival to the sites conducted meetings, with the County Executive

Director, administrators, community leaders and RRC to get first -hand information on how the conflict

started, what is the total number of affected population and the consequences of the attack. The team

conducted Focal Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), household interview

using IRNA tool. The team also spoke to random people, observation and transect walk was also used as

the team traversed the identified locations to document any observed changes pertaining to the conflict.

The estimated number of IDPs in 3 affected Payams:

General total for three payams

HHS Dispaced

villages

Host

villages

IDPS Male Female Death wounded Burnt

houses

3,865 108 26 23,190 11,131 12,059 26 6 715

Breakdown into payams

Awul payam

HHS Dispaced

villages

Host

villages

IDPS Male Female Death wounded Burnt

houses

2201 44 23 13,202 6,337 6,865 21 4 656

Rualbet payam

HHS Dispaced

villages

Host

villages

IDPS Male Female Death wounded Burnt

houses

932 48 27 5,592 2,684 2,908 5 2 59

Kirik payam

HHS Dispaced

villages

Host

villages

IDPS Male Female Death wounded Burnt

houses

732 18 No

details

4,392 2,108 2,284 No

details

No details No details

7.0 Cluster Findings and Recommendations:

7.1 Food Security & Livelihood

• The displaced community decreased consumption of the food due to the food stock is not enough

and there is no money to buy food.

• The Main food that the population is currently relying on is the sorghum and groundnuts and

sometimes collect wild leaves and pumpkin leaves to balance their diet

• They stated that some received food from WFP last month before the conflict erupted. It is worth

noting that WFP through its cooperating Partner (WVI) is supporting 22,512 people who have been

targeted under GFD and FFA in the three Payams (9,942 beneficiaries in Awuul, 7,255 in Kirik

and 5,315 in Rualbet)

• Food stock they have at the moment it cannot even last them a week and that when the food

becomes little for all of family members, they can restrict consumption by the adults and leave for

the small children to eat or they can keep relying on the community and friends for as long as they

are willing to help.

• The affected population has not yet settled and as such, they don’t have any access to food

commodities; they only rely on the help of the host community.

• The livelihood sources of the affected population was disrupted due to the conflict in the areas, as

they are in IDP centres currently their livelihood sources are Agriculture and remittance as they

have accesses to their farms only that some houses are burned

• Planting season was affected by the conflict erupted in April between two communities which

resulting to decrease in the land cultivated this season and the current conflict between five

communities destroyed everything, houses, and farms

• All the farms are left behind most of the crop covered by the weed’s special groundnuts, sesame,

• In Awul Payam Some of fruits trees like mango were cut down by the attackers

• Due hunger people are starting harvest of crop when it is not ready such as sesame, groundnuts,

Maize, which will affect the livelihood of the most people and IDPs if they are not assisted.

• Average of the farms cultivated is 2-10 Fadden per households and the main crop cultivated are

sorghum, groundnuts, sesame and maize.

Recommendations: After the assessment, the FSL team came up with the following recommendations;

During the focus group discussions with different groups (Women, Girls, Men, Boys and Community

Leaders), so base on their needs identified.

A-food assistance should be launch to address and respond to hunger and malnutrition Cases experienced

during conflict.

B- As most of the households lost their farming tools and fishing equipment, seeds (vegetables) and tools,

fishing kits distribution should be launched to fill the gaps.

C- We desired to have a prompt response from our donor -partners to rescue lives of IDPs seen deteriorated

in the areas of settlement.

7.2 Health Cluster

Findings:

• Malaria ;almost all people are sick of Malaria

• Poor hygiene has some acute watery diarrhea and skin diseases are coming up

• Fear of Covid-19 infections because of no social distancing

Recommendations

• World Vision/SMOH to increase basic health and nutrition supplies to health facilities where IDPs

ran for safety

• Health cluster partners to provide nonfood items for IDPs to enable them to return their respective

places

• There is a need of COVID-19 Awareness health education in IDPS places by all partners

• Distribution of mosquito nets

7.3 Nutrition Cluster

Findings;

• Among the displaced majority of the vulnerable population are children and mothers who are

acutely malnourished. For example; out of 50 children fewer than five screened 14 were moderately

malnourished and 26 mothers acutely malnourished out of a 100 population.

• Loss of follow-up for the beneficiaries in the programme due to conflict, most was displaced to far

locations from their sites.

• Poor hygiene and sanitation observed among the IDPs and host community due over stretched

existing water points and sanitary equipment.

• Lack of awareness on COVID-19 preventive measures.

• Inadequate dietary intake due to lack of food hence increasing the risk of malnutrition.

Recommendations:

• Scale-up community screening and mobilization in the areas hosting the IDPs to help trace and identify

malnourished children and PLWS in Awul, Rualbet, Kirrik and Warrap.

• Distribute mosquito nets to prevent Malaria among the IDPs.

• General food distribution and NFI to the IDPs since they lost their food items in the conflict.

• Increase community awareness on COVID-19 preventive measures.

• Distribute soap to improve hygiene and sanitation.

Findings and the targeted nutrition program for the various Payams

BSFP Targets 6-59ms

• Awul: 2,508

• Rualbet: 1,062

• Kiirik:834

BSFP Targets PLW

• Awul: 1,056

• Rualbet: 447

• Kiirik:351

MAM Targets

• Awul 13,202 = MAM estimation targets 783

• Rualbet 5,592 = MAM estimation 331

• Kirrik 4,392 =MAM estimation is 260

PLW Targets

• Awul 13,202= 1,070

• Rualbet 5,592= 454

• Kirrik 4,392= 356

SAM Targets

• Awul U5 population 2508=SAM estimate targets 776 children

• Rualbet U5 Population 1062= SAM estimated targets 329 children

• Kirrik U5 population 834= SAM estimation targets 258 children

During the rapid screening the following were identified

GAM rate:

SAM:

6-59 children for BSFP

• Among the displaced majority of the vulnerable population are children and mothers who are acutely

malnourished.

• Loss of follow-up for the beneficiaries in the programme due to conflict.

• Poor hygiene and sanitation observed among the IDPs and host community.

• Lack of awareness on COVID-19 preventive measures.

• Inadequate dietary intake due to lack of food hence increasing the risk of malnutrition.

Recommendations:

• General food distribution for the individuals who are not in any WFP feeding program (FFA, FFE,

CGFD, etc.)

• Provision of BSFP for all children under five who are not enrolled in to TSFP, and OTP.

• Scale-up mobilization and community screening to the nearby nutrition sites

7.4 Shelter NFIs Cluster

Priority Needs:

1. Cooking set

2. Plastic sheet

3. Blankets

4. Mosquito-nets

5. Rubber Ropes

Challenges:

• Unavailability of shelter/NFI stock in Warrap State,

• Uncontrolled influx of host community members into IDPS settlement when seeing Humanitarian

visitors

• Poor road accessibility special in areas of Rualbet and Kirik Payams

Part 4 Recommendations/follow up

Emergency Actions Mid to Long Term Actions

1. Conducting verification & registrations soon as

possible by shelter/NFI cluster

2. Provision of shelter/NFI most vulnerable IDPs

3. Urged the government to provide security and

Relocate back the IDPs to their original places

4. Sensitized the IDPs on COVID19 Preventive

measure

1. Sensitization and conduct

awareness to the IDPs to go back

to their original places once

security improved.

2. Sensitization and conduct

awareness to the IDPs and host

community on COVID-19

3. Conducting psychosocial support

and counselling for those who are

traumatize from the event

4. Distribution of NFIs to the most

vulnerable groups (Children,

elderly and women

7.5 Protection Cluster

Findings

• Most of the IDPs were Children, women and elderly people

• There were no reported sexual/rape violence during the conflict and among displaced persons.

• Women were physiologically abused and weaken capacity to cope up with new environment .

Women/girls travel long distance to visit and work on their family farmers in deserted areas where

there are reported conflicting community armed youth maneuvering over therefore there are risks

of women and girls facing GBV. Children traveling with their parents/guardians are likely to be at

risk also.

• There were reported armed robbery of women and girls with food items they collected from their

deserted homes when they are returning to their displacement bases.

• The women are likely to face some form of abuse on their ways visiting former homes

• IDPs are residing at school compound, without blankets and mosquito nets they are vulnerable due

to; cold weather, rain, wind and mosquitos bite.

• In Awul centre and Achol-Ahokou which are hosting huge number of displaced persons.

Women/girls can be seen mixed up with youth/men in tide/smell spaces throughout the day and

also during night hours. This pose threats of GBV, rape and even unwanted pregnancies

• People are still fearing to move back to their houses particularly men

• Also, there are no services providers both child protection and GBV to respond to conflict affected

persons.

• There are no protection activities around Tonj North county meanwhile protection agencies such

as TOCH and WVI are present on the ground.

• There is no service mapping and coordination mechanisms available or conducted within the county

of Tonj north

• Children, women, widows, orphans and elderly can be seen depressed, traumatized and

psychologically unwell.

• There were no reported cases of missing children, children or women being killed before and during

the assessment period.

• People with disability were left behind during displaced by their love ones. There are reported of

these people being tortured, bully and psychological hurts during the conflict. Many displaced

persons and people with disability have reported these incidents

•

Recommendations

• The team also recommends psychosocial support (PSS) on a community-based approach to help

women, widows, orphans and girls cope and recover from the conflicts and displacements shocks.

• Awareness campaign and radio campaigns are recommended to sensitize the community on child

protection, consequences of early child marriage and GBVs. There is no community radio in

Tonj North county, instead HHs door to door awareness raising is highly recommended

• Support distressed children with recreational kits

• Protection partners to raised awareness onCOVID-19 and to

• To assess needs of people with disabilities. And inclusion into recovery programme is highly

recommended because most people with disabilities were victims of the conflict

• To support peace building efforts through communities’ dialogue and meetings.

7.6 WASH Cluster

Findings

• Only three latrines where open by school authority while others where lock and bathroom were also

open and there were faeces /stools on the side of latrines. So, hygiene situation is really very poor. In

Awul primary school which is hosting huge number of displaced persons

• There were six boreholes which are broken while there is no time for repaired due to the erupted conflict

• No water containers for collecting water from the tape and no washing buckets. This means the hygiene

of the displaced persons is absolutely poor hence disease outbreak especially among children and

elderly

• There were reported cases of burning and destroying spare parts of boreholes rehabilitation in Awul

payam Agany village by conflicting communities.

• No soaps for washing clothes, utensil, drinking materials.

• Overcrowding places let to no awareness on COVID-19.

• Within the area of the assessment was conducted, few institutional latrines were observed near the

urban centers. Nevertheless, majority of the people of Awul IDPS are practicing open defecation and

poor sanitation around water points in all the areas assessed remains a concern.

• Cultural issues regarding the use of latrines have made the situation worse, with rampant open

defecation observed.

• Hand washing at critical times is only done before eating with no soap. Though some of the

communities have knowledge of hygiene but they do not practice, mainly due to culture and

community attitudes towards hygiene.

• The affected communities have no access to WASH NFIs as they lost all their house hold items during

the conflict where houses were burnt, Soap and other basic WASH NFIs for hygiene are available only

in Awul markets but expensive that most of the communities cannot afford to buy, especially the

communities that were recently displaced due to the communal conflict.

• With the inadequate water in the assess villages it became difficult to practice frequent hand washing

in prevention from the spread of COVID-19. Women manage their menstruation period locally using

piece of cloth. The general hygiene of the community is at risk of many waters borne diseases.

Recommendations

• WASH cluster has pleasure to appreciate time given to witness Tonj North incidents and we had

seen how our people are suffering in those areas we had visit especially on WASH issues we have

witness lack of Hygiene in facilities in various places, hand pump are inadequate also, sanitary

necessity whereby no clean drinking water, or are inadequate in some areas, lack of latrines that

led to open defecation which may encourage diarrhea and even cholera, therefore we are calling

upon the well-wishers and UN agencies to come in and rescue the population which are in needs

of foods, clean drinking water, shelters and medical supplies

• Provision of food, clean drinking, shelters and medical supplies to displaced persons especially

during this rainy season of the year.

• Hygiene awareness on good hygiene practices. Conduct hygiene promotion awareness raising

among displaced persons and host communities in Rualbet and Awul payams

• Establishment of hand washing and hygiene promotion. Among displaced persons and host

communities of the two conflicting communities of Awul and Rualbet payams

• Supply filters and chlorine tablets

• There is need to rehabilitate Awul primary school borehole which is being overused by IDPs and

it is not in good condition. The water it is producing is not healthy enough for population this place.

7.7 Education Cluster

Findings

Agany primary structure windows were damaged during recent conflict

All school children and teachers are currently displaced by this conflict

During assessment, the cluster found out that, most of schools are temporary schools that are lack WASH

facilities, permanent building or structures and most of teaching staffs in this schools are volunteers who

are untrained.

Majority of those schools were depopulated even before the Corona virus and communal conflict.

Cluster also observe that there will be high risk of gender based violence cases, early force marriage,

prostitutions and streets lives as well as COVID-19 high risk transmission if IDPs still stationed in this area

(Kuajok National Secondary School).

However, these internal displaced persons are willing to go back to their respective homes if the situation

is normal.

Recommendations

The cluster has come up with some recommendations base on the findings as follows:

• Agany primary school needs renovation before classes resume

• There is a need for in-service training for both teachers and volunteers.

• Provision of connectivity (radio) to Out of school children (OOSC) to follow learning programs on

media education programs.

• Training of teachers, PTA, SMCs and caregivers on teaching skills and school management.

• Provision of dignity kits to adult girls and female teachers for hygiene.

• Open emergency learning programs including AES and provide learning kits such that out school

children that can reduces issues relate to early force marriage or unwanted pregnancy, streets lives and

other crime lives.

• Creating of awareness on COVID-19 preventing measures to teachers, camp management/ leaders and

caregivers to reduces COVID-19 rapid transmission.

Members of the assessment team. S/

N

Name Cluster Org Telephone Email address

1 Maria Deng Ngor Coordination/Pr

otection

WVI 0919749530 Maria_ngor@wvi.org

2 Santino Agany Coordination RRC 0913319262

3 Betty Jacob Food Security &

livelihood

FAO 0922001556 Betty.Jacob@fao.org

4 Simon Mel Kon Emergency

shelter & NFIs

NRC 0920026077 simon.kon@nrc.no

5 Akech Jok Maluil Education

cluster

UNKEA 0924648006 Akech.j.maluil@gmail.com

6 Mario Mayen FSL cluster TOCH 0922662002 Wekmayen1@gmail.com

7 Mario Ayom WASH TOCH O92330772

4

Marioayom3@gmail.com

8 Angelo Ayii education ADRA 0915502102 Ayiikuecbai@yahoo.com

9 Suzan Achol Protection TOCH

10 Nelson Muorwel WASH cluster CIDA 0915937650 NelsonMuorwel12@gmail.co

m

11 Santino Ariath

Mareng

FSL SAADO 0920255401 Marengbek045@yahoo.com

12 Valentino mawien S/NFI TADO 0922444847 Mawienwol15@gmail.com

13 Peter Manyuon Health CIDA 0922771849 petermanyuon@gmail.com

14 Martin Madut Protection LCAD 0915408754 martinmadutawut@gmail.com

15 Kerbino Kuol Education WVI 0913138998 edenjrkuol@gmail.com

16 Wel Daniel Dut S/NFI CCOSS 0926322299 Duwel1987@gmail.com

17 Peter Ring Atem S/NFI TGCDA 0922121462 Trustgprograms@gmail.com Photos annexed:

The assessment team could not manage to reach some IDPs in Kirik and

Rualbet

The cars are stuck in the forest, the team slept while standing

till morning hours

widows interviewed by the assessment team in Ageny Village @ Awul

Payam

Another widow with 4 children and here house was burned

and now ran to Awul Payam headquarter

primary school residing by displace {IDP} Harvested food of current season

Inter-agencies assessment team meeting with RRC and government

authority in Tonj north county

Children sharing food together