Caritas is launching an appeal to feed 35,000 people affected by conflict and drought in South Sudan. The appeal for US$ 3.4 million (EUR 2.3 million) will supply food aid in Western and Eastern Equatoria states in the south of the country.

Two years of drought in Eastern Equatoria has left hundreds of thousands of people in need. Caritas will provide 10,000 people in Eastern Equatoria with food aid and planting materials, and train farmers on improved farming techniques, in order to support people’ livelihoods until harvest in 2010.

Meanwhile, an upsurge of violence in Western Equatoria has forced 68,000 from their homes. Conflict worsened with the arrival into the area of a militia force formerly based in Uganda called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Caritas aims to reach 25,000 people in urgent need of immediate care in Western Equatoria.

Sudan is recovering from 22 years of civil war between the Government in Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the South that ended with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the two parties in 2005.

Caritas Internationalis Humanitarian Director Alistair Dutton said, “People caught in drought or conflict in South Sudan need urgent food aid. Caritas is able to reach isolated villages and communities caught in conflict to provide support.

“Violence in South Sudan is now worse than in Darfur, much of it tribal. The growing insecurity must be addressed by governments in the North and South Sudan. If the current peace deal unravels we will be headed towards a major catastrophe.

“Peace can be reached through dialogue. The violence is a regional issue and needs to be addressed not just in Sudan but in Uganda, Central Africa Republic, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“The UN Mission in Sudan must protect civilians for all forms of violence.”

For more information, please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 334 359 0700 or nicholson@caritas.va