Southern Sudan Facing One of Its Worst Famines

Hundreds of thousands of south Sudanese face one of the worst famines in their history unless they receive crop seed and farm tools in the next few weeks ahead of the rainy season, United Nations and aid agency officials said.

A simmering civil war, logistical difficulties in Africa’s biggest country, a lack of cooperation by the government in Khartoum and lack of funds for the U.N.-headed Operation Lifeline Sudan have combined to worsen the situation.

To further complicate matters, aid agencies say they cannot begin delivering seeds until they have taken care of the immediate food needs of the population.

“If we deliver seed when the people are still hungry, they will eat the seed,” said Michelle Quintaglie, spokeswoman for the U.N.’s World Food Program. “It is a losing battle.”

The U.N. last month appealed to the international community for $109 million to help finance this year’s effort to meet the emergency needs of more than 4 million Sudanese. The response, aid officials say, scarcely covers what is needed over the next few weeks.

Several thousand hungry Sudanese gathered Sunday at Pakor to await the delivery of food at an airstrip.

Some of them had walked for up to five days to reach the collection of dusty mud and grass huts, only to be told there would be no food deliveries for at least a month.

“I don’t think I can walk back. . . . I am too tired and hungry,” said Makol Ebil, a grandmother who had trekked more than 60 miles to reach the site.

Years of civil war in Sudan--which pits the mainly Muslim north against Christians and followers of native religions in the south--have claimed more than 1.3 million lives because of the fighting and ensuing famines.