Lessons Learned from South Sudan Protection of Civilian Sites 2013–2016

44 - Lessons Learned from South Sudan Protection of Civilian Sites - Managing the Response
Case Study of Malakal PoC Site
On 21 December 2013, the conflict reached Malakal town. Nearly
12,000 IDPs and a few hundred humanitarians moved toward the
Malakal UNMISS base and sought shelter inside as the SPLA and
SPLA/IO fought for control of Malakal town. By mid-January, the number
of IDPs had swelled to more than 20,000. The scene was chaotic with
humanitarians and IDPs living in haphazard conditions and spread over
the entire UNMISS facility. Humanitarian agencies and UNMISS immediately
began providing assistance, including food, access to safe water,
construction of latrines and medical treatment as well. The UNMISS
base was not designed to accommodate IDPs and most lived in five
sections spread across a large area, even taking over a logistics center
and a workshop.
There was a need to improve the living conditions and first improvement
to the UNMISS base was a joint venture with UNMISS and IOM to level
a large area outside the southern gate and adjacent to the base. The
area was levelled, drainage installed, some land raised and plotted to
allow for 12,500 IDPs. Even though expectations of moving all IDPs from
the base were not achieved, the area inside the UNMISS was greatly
decongested in 2014. The second improvement was an expansion of
320,000 m2. In July 2015, IOM, UNMISS and humanitarian agencies
completed an extension of the site which was designed to house the
remaining population plus a contingency area, possibly holding 18,000
individuals. The expansion enabled IDPs to move out of the UNMISS
logistics base onto land designed with adequate drainage, space and
access to relief services. However, continued violence in Upper Nile
led to successive wave of IDPs seeking protection and services within
the PoC and this figure was quickly surpassed, increasing form 22,000
in April 2015 to more than 48,800 in August 2015. Two additional
contingency areas were quickly developed to shelter an influx of nearly
17,000 IDPs who arrived in late July and early August.
Malakal PoC site satellite view, June 2014 / Population: 11,000+ IDPs.
Upper Nile
Malakal PoC
Malakal PoC site satellite view, July 2015 / Population: 42,000+ IDPs.
Sector 1
Sector 2
Sector 3
Sector 4
PoC Site
UNMISS
Humanitarian Services Area
PoC Blocks
Malakal PoC site satellite view, September 2015 / Population: 44,000+ IDPs.