wfn.org | ADRA South Sudan Compound Reported Burnt, Looted

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

February 12, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

ADRA South Sudan Compound Reported Burnt, Looted

Nairobi, Kenya.[ADRA/APD] The Adventist Development 
and Relief Agency (ADRA) compound in Chukudum, 
south Sudan, was reportedly burnt and looted on 
January 16 and 17 while two local military factions 
spent three days fighting nearby. 

The United Nations helped evacuate 14 ex-patriot ADRA 
staff to Lokichoggio, Kenya, the United 
Nations/Operation Lifeline Sudan (UN/OLS) headquarters 
in northern Kenya, after the staff spent three days 
hiding. ADRA is a member of the UN/OLS consortium of 
40 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 

"While bullets from the warring factions flew through 
Chukudum and the surrounding hills, ADRA staff hid in 
a roofed bomb shelter, bullets continuing to whiz over 
their heads," reports Robin Willison, ADRA South Sudan 
project director and acting country director. "There 
was no food or water except when someone was brave 
enough to venture out for a few minutes, at peril to 
their lives." 

Not only was the compound reportedly burnt and looted 
during the fighting, but several of ADRA's six 
vehicles may have been removed. "I'm not sure what is 
going to happen with these vehicles or to our 
compound," says Willison, "but I expect it will be a 
few more weeks before the UN goes in to check on the 
situation and give our employees the approval to go 
back to work. This emergency occurred in a location 
where there was previously little insecurity."

Most recently, ADRA has been operating a US$3 million 
United States Agency for International Development 
(USAID)-funded child survival and veterinary health 
care project. A further US$238,000 provided by the 
Dutch Government is enabling ADRA's team to renovate 
38 water pumps, which have fallen into a state of 
disrepair. In Western Equatoria, large grants from 
Denmark and Sweden are enhancing educational 
opportunities for these desperately poor people.

In partnership with other NGOs, among them the United 
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Vision 
International, ADRA distributed 98 tons of food 
biscuits and 20.58 tons of the milk powder to an 
estimated population of 143,000 moderately and 
severely malnourished people in Bahr el Ghazal and 
eastern Equatorial regions of south Sudan since early 
July this year. 

"After the UN security appraisal, ADRA will have more 
definite information on the situation in Chukudum," 
says Randy Purviance, ADRA senior grants 
administrator. [99/03/02]