* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
CHILD abduction is escalating in South Sudan’s war-torn border region – according to charity Plan International.
The organisation is warning that young people are being snatched as part of ethnic clashes in Jonglei state that have displaced tens of thousands of people.
“Rival tribes are burning down villages and raiding cattle – and we are hearing of more and more kidnaps of young people,” says Fikru Abebe, Plan International’s Country Director in South Sudan.
“Other children have been separated from their parents in the chaos – leaving them especially at risk.”
“Revenge attacks are intensifying and we fear the violence will only get worse in the coming weeks and months.”
Plan is launching an appeal for more than £450,000 to get aid to people caught up in fighting in Pibor County in Jonglei.
“With our partner agency, we have been running school feeding programmes for 4500 children in Pibor, and neighbouring Akobo country,” says Fikru Abebe.
“We want to expand these projects to reach more vulnerable children, especially those directly affected by the clashes.”
A taskforce from Plan International is currently in the region, preparing an emergency response.
The agency is planning to implement special programmes to keep children safe, as well as providing food and longer term measures to help families earn a living.
“The biggest challenge we are facing in our relief work is the lack of security in the border region – and the possibility of sudden attacks,” says Fikru Abebe.
“Logistics are also a problem in South Sudan, which has very poor infrastructure.”
The Government of South Sudan is trying to begin a peace process to bring together rival ethnic groups.
Ends
Editor’s notes:
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Plan has been working in South Sudan since 2006 - helping poor children to access their rights to education, health, protection and economic security.
Notes to editors
1) Plan is a global children’s charity. We work with children in the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future. A future you would want for all children, your family and friends. For over 70 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfill their potential by:
· giving children a healthy start in life, including access to safe drinking water
· securing the education of girls and boys
· working with communities to prepare for and survive disasters
· inspiring children to take a lead in decisions that affect their lives
· enabling families to earn a living and plan for their children’s future.
We do what’s needed, where it’s needed most. We do what you would do. With your support children, families and entire communities have the power to move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.
2) Plan UK is a member of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella organisation for 14 leading humanitarian aid agencies.
3) We work with children in 50 of the world’s poorest countries to help them build a better future.
4) Plan was founded by British journalist John Langdon-Davies in 1937 to rescue orphans and other vulnerable children from the Spanish Civil War.
6) We have over 100,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £24 million a year, and 1 million sponsored children worldwide
7) Sponsorship starts at £15-a-month and, rather than going to individual children and their families, funds projects to improve schooling, health, nutrition and livelihoods across communities.
