CIVIL WAR LEADS TO WIDESPREAD FAMINE IN SOUTH SUDAN|南蘇丹內戰摧殘 全國近半人口陷饑荒

Meanwhile, an extended civil war in South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, has led to widespread famine among its people, with more than half of its 10 million population suffering from starvation. As the war rages on, the number of famished people is likely to hit 5.5 million by this July. In South Sudan, many children require medical treatment due to malnourishment. A 3-year civil war and an ever drought have led to low agricultural production and an increase of food prices by 8 percent. At least 20% of the country's families suffered from severe food shortage and more than 30% of the population suffered from malnourishment. Two people out of 100,000 die of hunger every day. ==ISAIAH CHOL ARUAI Chair. of South Sudan's National Bureau of Statistics== The convergence of evidence shows that the long-term effects of the conflict coupled with high food prices, economic crisis, low agricultural production and depleted livelihood options have resulted in 4.9 million people, about 42 percent of the country's population, going hungry. The crisis is expected to worsen and the number of people suffering from famine is to hit 5.5 million by July, the government estimated. Six years ago, South Sudan declared independence from Sudan and became the youngest nation in the world. The nascent country is rich in oil resources, but there are only 200 km of paved roads within its borders, a clear indication of underdeveloped infrastructure. In 2013, President Salva Kiir sacked his Vice President Riek Machar and his entire cabinet, a move said to be a step towards dictatorship and soon incurred a civil war, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Many refugees fled to neighboring countries. The nation now faces a steep humanitarian crisis. ==CHALLISS MCDONOUGH World Food Program Spokesperson== Everybody knows that if we say there's a famine, it's because there really is the most serious kind of humanitarian crisis that we can imagine. Last year, humanitarian aid provided by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization hit a record high in the FAO's history, totalling 4 million workers, US$ 13.8 million in cash and 265 thousand tonnes of food. Courses that taught locals how to fish and grow vegetables were also offered. A UN official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the South Sudanese government of hampering food transport to rebel regions. Meanwhile, incidents of food warehouses being looted and aid workers killed have also been reported. TRANSLATED BY：BRYANT CHANG 全球最年輕的國家、南蘇丹，獨立建國以後又陷入內戰引發饑荒，目前南蘇丹近一半人口，大約490萬人吃不飽，由於食物短缺，政府官員預估七月以前，饑民人數將達到550萬人。 南蘇丹兒童骨瘦如柴，許多人因為嚴重營養不良接受治療。持續三年的內戰、加上嚴重乾旱，造成南蘇丹農作物嚴重歉收，食物價格去年上漲八倍。根據聯合國的統計，南蘇丹至少兩成的家庭食物極度短缺，營養不良的人口超過三成，每天每十萬人中就有超過二人餓死。 ==南蘇丹國家統計局長 阿魯艾== 長期的戰亂伴隨食物價格高漲 經濟危機 農作物欠收 生活所需耗盡 導致食品安全惡化 490萬人大約42%的人口 面臨嚴重的饑荒問題 南蘇丹政府估計狀況會持續惡化，在7月之前，饑荒人口就會達到550萬。南蘇丹六年前脫離蘇丹獨立，成為全球最年輕的國家。雖然有龐大的石油資源，但當地基礎建設匱乏，道路總長只有200公里，很多地方難以到達。2013年時，南蘇丹總統基爾開除副總統馬沙爾，引爆雙方陣營內戰，好幾萬人死亡，大批難民逃往鄰國。現在又面臨更大的人道危機。 ==聯合國農糧署發言人 麥唐娜== 大家都明白當我們說發生饑荒時 表示已經發生我們所能想像 最嚴重的人道危機 去年農糧署對南蘇丹的人道援助已經刷新紀錄，總共提供400萬人、1380萬美元的現金，超過26萬5千噸的糧食跟營養品。並教導當地人捕魚跟種菜。不過有匿名的聯合國官員，指控南蘇丹政府阻撓或是限制部份敵對地區的糧食補給。另外也發生過存放援糧的倉庫遭打劫，以及志工被殺等憾事。 記者 陳秋玫 報導