Date: 30 April 2007

Details of Payment Emergency: Cross Border Ethnic Conflict

Date of Emergency: 11 April 2007

Implementing Partners: Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY-DASSC) & East and West Gambella Bethel Synods DASSC (EGBS- DASSC & WGBS - DASSC)

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY
Since the beginning of this year, cross boarder attacks have been common phenomena on the Nuer and Anuak peoples of the Gambella Regional State. Over the past few months, the attacks became more frequent and intensified day after day resulting in heavy casualties, property damage and large-scale displacement. The recent Sudanese Murlee attack on the Anuak is a vivid example of the worsening situation. On 11 April 2007 alone, over 1000 well-armed MURLE tribes men from South Sudan attacked an Anuak village named Angela Peasant Association and specifically destructed 3 sub-villages: Owanga, Angathakir and Othema of Jor ‘Wereda’ (District) in Gambella Zone, some 150 kms from Gambella town. The attack claimed the lives of 26 people and left 13 people seriously wounded, 200 houses were burnt and large herds of cattle were raided. The situation has returned to normal after the police and local militia intervened, but all social and economic activities have stopped, disrupting the day-to-day life of the people in the area significantly. Currently some 5000 people are reported displaced – most of whom have sought shelter under trees, in individual homes and on the premises of institutions in Shantwa, a small town in the Jor Wereda.

The attack on Anuak village was preceded by similar attack on the Nuer ethnic group by the same Murlee tribes from south Sudan who attacked a village called Bilimkuon which is approximately about 12 kms away from Lare Wereda, about 95 kms from Gambella town. The Murlee group killed 7 innocent persons including children and women. They took over 3,936 herds of cattle from that village. Earlier this year the Murlee have also attacked Kuachthiang and Tiel villages near Puldeang in Jikoaw Wereda.

In both East and West Gambella people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance and the requests from representatives of the affected persons and local administration is supported by the Regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency and is subsequently submitted by EECMY DASSC through the respective branch offices (EECMY EGBS and WGBS DASSC). Since the anticipated fund will not cover the entire needs of the affected persons, 800 HH (430 HH/2150 persons from East Gambella and 370 HH/1850 persons from West Gambella) will be supported through this rapid response. The most affected households will be screened by the local task force to analyse the impact of the humanitarian crisis on women, girls, boys and men.

The EECMY/DASSC will co-ordinate overall implementation, reporting and communication with Regional and funding partners. The EECMY EGBS DASSC will implement assistance to the affected persons in Jor Wereda (Angela Peasant Association and surrounding villages) while EECMY WGBS DASSC will be responsible for the operation in Jikoaw and Lare Weredas (to IDPs at Adura Bur Nyang, Pul Deang, Bilim Koul and Kuach Thiang).

PURPOSE OF RESPONSE
Many weredas (districts) in Gambella inhabited by Nuer and Anuak communities are constantly challenged and seriously exposed not only to the vagaries of nature (recurring drought, flooding and diseases), but also fall prey to frequent cross boarder attacks and other man-made disasters. In the face of this grim reality, there is an urgent need for an immediate response in the form of food and non-food items before the situation deteriorates, especially with the imminent onset of the rainy season, as the people are left in overcrowded shelters. The main purpose of this rapid response request is to emphasise that there is a crucial need for life saving humanitarian assistance and it thereby aims to reach the most needy Anuak and Nuer IDPs who have been displaced from their places of residence due to cross border violent conflict carried out by Murle tribesmen from South Sudan.

BENEFICIARY INFORMATION AND LOCATION OF RESPONSE
Beneficiaries are 4000 IDPs who are directly affected by the violent armed conflict. These are IDPs from Angela village in Jor Wereda, and IDPs at Adura Bur Nyang, Pul Deang, Bilim Koul and Kuach Thiang in Jikoaw and Lare Weredas which includes children, mothers, the disabled, and the elderly.

PROPOSED ASSISTANCE
As the households have lost almost all of their possessions as people fled their village empty handed, the EECMY-DASSC is planning to provide immediate relief assistance through its branch office i.e. EGBS- DASSC & WGBS – DASSC. The emergency relief assistance includes distributing emergency food (maize and oil) to 4000 persons (800 HH) for two months at 15 kg/person/month for maize and 0.45 kg/person/month for oil, and provision of 800 pieces of cooking pots, jerry cans and plastic plates (1 piece of each item/HH). In addition, 800 pieces of light blankets "Fota" will be provided to the most needy persons.

IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD
The implementation will take 45 days and shall be commenced soon after the funds are made available.

MONITORING, REPORTING AND EVALUATION
The EECMY- EGB – DASSC and WGBS - DASSC are responsible body for implementation. EECMY – DASSC commits itself to providing technical and logistical support. The EECMY- DASSC Relief program in collaboration with ACT Ethiopia Forum shall monitor and evaluate the performance of the emergency response operation and takes care of the reporting.

BUDGET