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         UN Humanitarian Aid Rushed Into South Sudan Before Rains Come

   by Lisa Schlein

   The United Nations refugee agency (UNCHR) reports it is rushing to
   pre-position relief supplies for tens of thousands of refugees in South
   Sudan's Unity and Upper Nile states before the rainy season begins and
   deliveries become impossible.

   U.N. refugee spokesman Dan McNorton says time is running out for this
   humanitarian operation.

   "In terms of the cut-off point, in the next couple of weeks the window
   that we have in order to make those deliveries, and because in coming
   weeks those roads that we need to use will become impassable," McNorton
   said.

   McNorton says the operation is in good shape, and relief supplies for
   more than 190,000 refugees from Sudan will be in place before the rains
   and floods arrive.

   Currently, more than 73,000 refugees are living in Yida camp in Unity
   state. But the UNHCR expects more refugees to arrive in the coming
   weeks and is pre-positioning aid for more than 110,000 people.

   McNorton says relief items for Yida are either already in warehouses or
   moving in truck convoys that are expected to arrive within the next
   week. Items include plastic sheets, blankets, sleeping mats and family
   tents.

   "In Upper Nile, where there are over 117,00 refugees living in five
   camps, relief items for over 120,000 people will be placed ahead of the
   anticipated rains and floods. As well as using truck convoys, UNHCR is
   also using boats, which are able to operate along the Nile River, which
   does remain navigable throughout the rainy season," McNorton said.

   With the ground operation to deliver humanitarian supplies nearly
   complete,
   McNorton says the UNHCR will not have to mount costly airlifts to
   provide the refugees with the supplies they need.

   A month before South Sudan gained its independence from the north in
   July 2011, fighting broke out between Sudan's central government and
   rebels in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states.

   More than 190,000 refugees have since fled from the two states into
   South Sudan. Fighting continues in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, and
   the United Nations reports that refugees continue to cross the border.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/south-sudan-aid-un/1672272.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/south-sudan-aid-un/1672272.html