South Sudan: South Sudan Children in the Firing Line

Nairobi — The conflict in South Sudan is taking a heavy toll on children who are being killed or injured in attacks and recruited into armed groups. They are also witnessing traumatic events and missing out on school. For the youngest malnutrition is an ever-present threat.

On 17 April, dozens of armed rebel youth attacked the UN Mission in South Sudan base in Bor, Jonglei State, where they indiscriminately shot at those seeking refuge there, leaving 58 dead and over 100 injured. Some of those killed and injured were children.

Condemning the attack, Leila Zerrougui, special representative of the UN Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, in a statement said "children continue to be victims of the recent conflict in South Sudan and this must stop."

"These attacks and violations not only leave a permanent scar on these children, but they also affect their overall sense of safety and security, especially when places that they go to in desperation, and are designated as safe places of shelter, also become places of attacks," Zerrougui added, also condemning the involvement of children as fighters.

50,000 under-five children could die

"Many children and their families [in most cases the father is absent] live in dire conditions in displacement centres, under trees and in makeshift tents with limited access to food and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and education," Betty Gorle, Plan International's emergency response, advocacy and communications coordinator, told IRIN.

Children are relying on UN World Food Programme food rations and begging from host communities, added Gorle, noting that "some have also spent many nights hungry or collecting wild fruits." According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) "dangerous levels of malnutrition threaten a quarter of a million children in South Sudan, and unless they are reached with treatment, up to 50,000 children under age five could die."

Many children are also traumatized. "The children have also witnessed or experienced traumatizing events and as result some of the children report having sleepless nights. Many have lost their loved ones in the war," added Gorle.

IRIN recently drew attention to the link between trauma and malnutrition in the Central African Republic.