Fwd: [sudans-john-ashworth] Sudanese smugglers become lifeline for South Sudan
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Elisabeth Janaina
Apr 26, 2017, 6:52:31 AM4/26/17
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From: "John Ashworth" <ashwor...@gmail.com>
Date: 26 Apr 2017 10:55
Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] Sudanese smugglers become lifeline for South Sudan
To: "Group" <sudans-joh...@googlegroups.com>
Cc:
Smugglers become Lifeline for the Starving in South Sudan
April 25, 2017 5:35 AM
Associated Press
Sadiq Mohammed climbs into the cab of a truck that looks more like a
nightclub than a smuggler's perch. Red and yellow tassels dangle from
the ceiling, while tapestry drapes much of the windshield. He switches
on the electric fan above his head and nestles into the front seat,
which he's fitted with a more comfortable lawn chair.
The Sudanese trader-turned-smuggler says life is good. With both civil
war and famine raging in South Sudan, "I have more business now than
before."
After crossing from Sudan into this small South Sudan town, the
38-year-old father of two unpacks his shipment of food before trying
to relax from his three-day journey. What began as a respectable,
legal food transport job in 2009 has turned into a risky profession.
After South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, parts of the
border between the two countries were sealed. Truckers like Mohammed
had to decide on changing jobs or continuing to work illegally.
"I have no choice but to keep on smuggling," he says.
For thousands of these Sudanese smugglers, the crisis is proving quite
profitable.
As South Sudan enters its fourth year of civil war, over half of the
country's population has become reliant on humanitarian aid. Here in
the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, thousands face starvation. With
drought, soaring inflation and severe access challenges, hundreds of
communities in this corner of the country now depend on their northern
neighbor to feed their families.
"We're lacking 200,000 metric tons of food," says James Maywien Aror,
the relief and rehabilitation commissioner for Aweil East in Northern
Bahr el Ghazal. "If the smugglers can make it into South Sudan we're
happy to have them."
Once they cross the border, Aror says, there are no issues. For the
smugglers, however, it takes stealth and vigilance to make it safely
through Sudan.
"I take back streets until I cross over," Mohammed says. In order to
evade the Sudanese army, he drives overnight, navigating roads through
thick forest and relying on a vast network of villagers to guide him.
If he gets caught he'll have to pay a 15,000-Sudanese-pound ($2,200)
fine. If he refuses to pay, his goods will be confiscated, leaving him
in severe debt.
"Whatever happens in Sudan is the responsibility of that smuggler,"
says Deng Makol, a South Sudanese trader who works with Mohammed. "If
the shipment is seized it's that person's responsibility to resupply
it."
Mohammed says it's worth the risk. For every successful journey he
makes 7,000 Sudanese pounds, about nine times what most Sudanese make
in a month. He has just completed his fifth trip since January and
plans to make more. He says the demand is only increasing.
"Roughly 85 percent of my food comes from Sudan," Makol says. Sliding
open the door of his small shop in the center of town, he reveals bags
of sorghum and maize stacked to the ceiling.
"Orders will go in no time," he says. "People are hungrier than ever this year."
The problem is the soaring inflation. "Everyone's talking about prices
going up and they have no money," he says.
A World Food Program report released in March put South Sudan's
inflation rate at 372 percent. By comparison, Kenya's is 6.3 percent,
according to the World Bank.
South Sudan's weakened currency has led to higher prices of imported
food. Since 2014, prices in the markets have shot up. Many people can
no longer afford basic nutrients.
"I used to make porridge and tea for my children every morning,"
Nyanut Pantheer says. "Now we're lucky if I can buy them bread, and
most days they leave the house hungry."
The 33-year-old teashop owner says three years ago she used to buy
seven-and-a-half pounds (3.4 kilograms) of sorghum for 15 South
Sudanese pounds (about 10 cents). Today she pays 18 times that for the
same amount.
Pantheer says she's worried that prices will soon increase with the
onset of the rainy season.
"When it rains, there's more demand and less supply," Makol says.
"It's harder for smugglers to get food in." He expects to raise the
price of a 198-pound bag of sorghum from the current 7,800 South
Sudanese pounds to 10,000.
In an attempt to ease access challenges and provide food to South
Sudan's most vulnerable people, Sudan recently opened a second
corridor for humanitarian aid into Bentiu city in South Sudan's
Northern Liech state. A statement by the United States, Britain and
Norway welcomed the move and encouraged the opening of other routes
between Sudan and South Sudan.
The new humanitarian corridor doesn't affect the thousands of starving
people in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. They'll have to continue relying on
smugglers.
Even with their near-monopoly on trade, smugglers like Mohammed are
keen to see an easier cross-border flow of goods.
"Both nations will benefit from a trade agreement," Mohammed says, but
he admits it doesn't look likely. For now, he'll have to continue
driving in the dark.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-smugglers/3824472.html
END
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile)
+211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile)
+44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile)
+88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone)
Skype: jashworth1
PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of any organisation
--
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From: "John Ashworth" <ashwor...@gmail.com>
Date: 26 Apr 2017 10:55
Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] Sudanese smugglers become lifeline for South Sudan
To: "Group" <sudans-joh...@googlegroups.com>
Cc:
Smugglers become Lifeline for the Starving in South Sudan
April 25, 2017 5:35 AM
Associated Press
Sadiq Mohammed climbs into the cab of a truck that looks more like a
nightclub than a smuggler's perch. Red and yellow tassels dangle from
the ceiling, while tapestry drapes much of the windshield. He switches
on the electric fan above his head and nestles into the front seat,
which he's fitted with a more comfortable lawn chair.
The Sudanese trader-turned-smuggler says life is good. With both civil
war and famine raging in South Sudan, "I have more business now than
before."
After crossing from Sudan into this small South Sudan town, the
38-year-old father of two unpacks his shipment of food before trying
to relax from his three-day journey. What began as a respectable,
legal food transport job in 2009 has turned into a risky profession.
After South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, parts of the
border between the two countries were sealed. Truckers like Mohammed
had to decide on changing jobs or continuing to work illegally.
"I have no choice but to keep on smuggling," he says.
For thousands of these Sudanese smugglers, the crisis is proving quite
profitable.
As South Sudan enters its fourth year of civil war, over half of the
country's population has become reliant on humanitarian aid. Here in
the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, thousands face starvation. With
drought, soaring inflation and severe access challenges, hundreds of
communities in this corner of the country now depend on their northern
neighbor to feed their families.
"We're lacking 200,000 metric tons of food," says James Maywien Aror,
the relief and rehabilitation commissioner for Aweil East in Northern
Bahr el Ghazal. "If the smugglers can make it into South Sudan we're
happy to have them."
Once they cross the border, Aror says, there are no issues. For the
smugglers, however, it takes stealth and vigilance to make it safely
through Sudan.
"I take back streets until I cross over," Mohammed says. In order to
evade the Sudanese army, he drives overnight, navigating roads through
thick forest and relying on a vast network of villagers to guide him.
If he gets caught he'll have to pay a 15,000-Sudanese-pound ($2,200)
fine. If he refuses to pay, his goods will be confiscated, leaving him
in severe debt.
"Whatever happens in Sudan is the responsibility of that smuggler,"
says Deng Makol, a South Sudanese trader who works with Mohammed. "If
the shipment is seized it's that person's responsibility to resupply
it."
Mohammed says it's worth the risk. For every successful journey he
makes 7,000 Sudanese pounds, about nine times what most Sudanese make
in a month. He has just completed his fifth trip since January and
plans to make more. He says the demand is only increasing.
"Roughly 85 percent of my food comes from Sudan," Makol says. Sliding
open the door of his small shop in the center of town, he reveals bags
of sorghum and maize stacked to the ceiling.
"Orders will go in no time," he says. "People are hungrier than ever this year."
The problem is the soaring inflation. "Everyone's talking about prices
going up and they have no money," he says.
A World Food Program report released in March put South Sudan's
inflation rate at 372 percent. By comparison, Kenya's is 6.3 percent,
according to the World Bank.
South Sudan's weakened currency has led to higher prices of imported
food. Since 2014, prices in the markets have shot up. Many people can
no longer afford basic nutrients.
"I used to make porridge and tea for my children every morning,"
Nyanut Pantheer says. "Now we're lucky if I can buy them bread, and
most days they leave the house hungry."
The 33-year-old teashop owner says three years ago she used to buy
seven-and-a-half pounds (3.4 kilograms) of sorghum for 15 South
Sudanese pounds (about 10 cents). Today she pays 18 times that for the
same amount.
Pantheer says she's worried that prices will soon increase with the
onset of the rainy season.
"When it rains, there's more demand and less supply," Makol says.
"It's harder for smugglers to get food in." He expects to raise the
price of a 198-pound bag of sorghum from the current 7,800 South
Sudanese pounds to 10,000.
In an attempt to ease access challenges and provide food to South
Sudan's most vulnerable people, Sudan recently opened a second
corridor for humanitarian aid into Bentiu city in South Sudan's
Northern Liech state. A statement by the United States, Britain and
Norway welcomed the move and encouraged the opening of other routes
between Sudan and South Sudan.
The new humanitarian corridor doesn't affect the thousands of starving
people in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. They'll have to continue relying on
smugglers.
Even with their near-monopoly on trade, smugglers like Mohammed are
keen to see an easier cross-border flow of goods.
"Both nations will benefit from a trade agreement," Mohammed says, but
he admits it doesn't look likely. For now, he'll have to continue
driving in the dark.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-smugglers/3824472.html
END
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile)
+211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile)
+44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile)
+88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone)
Skype: jashworth1
PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of any organisation
--
--
The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group.
To post to this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth-unsub...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudans-john-ashworth" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sudans-john-ashworth+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/sudans-john-ashworth.
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