Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched 'Operation Empty Plate' - and asked people to stop wasting food. China's crops have been wiped out by mass flooding. With food prices on the rise - is China staring at a food crisis? Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Is China running out of food?

Zakaria al-Omar was walking through Beirut when a stranger robbed him at knifepoint, a desperate crime of a kind that has become increasingly common in crisis-torn Lebanon.&nbsp; 
 
The small Mediterranean country is mired in an economic crisis marked by a steep currency fall and runaway inflation that have plunged nearly half of the population into poverty. 
 
Omar, a 37-year-old graphic designer, recalled the terrifying and tragic encounter that started when a man in his 40s crept up behind him as he walked alone at night through Beirut's Hamra commercial district.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/lebanon-protests-president-michel-aoun-urges-nation-to-unite-304030" hreflang="en">Lebanon protests: President Michel Aoun urges nation to unite</a> 
 
"He told me that he didn't want to hurt me. He asked me to give him money or take him to a grocery store to buy some food," Omar recounted. "He said his children back home were crying from hunger." 
 
The robber grabbed the money and darted toward his motorcycle, then stopped dead in his tracks and returned, explaining that he had lost his job and could no longer pay the rent.&nbsp; 
 
"He started crying and apologised to me," Omar told AFP. "He told me that he was not a thief but that he was hungry and so were his children." 
 
Omar said he refused to take back the cash. 
 
"I told him that I forgave him, and then he went away," Omar said. "I was scared but I also felt sad for that man breaking down in front of me." 
 
Lebanon's Internal Security Forces say crime rates have shot up this year amid Lebanon's worst economic turmoil since the 1975-1990 civil war. 
 
The ISF recorded 863 thefts and robberies in the first half of this year, up from 650 for all of 2019, according to a document seen by AFP.

Apologetic robbers 
A security official who asked not to be named told AFP that broader crime rates during the first half of 2020 reached a six-year peak, especially murders and robberies. 
 
The rise appeared to be driven by the deepening economic crisis, said the official, who was not authorised to speak on the issue.&nbsp; 
 
Police were noticing a "new kind of theft that involves mainly baby milk, food, and medicine", the source said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/lebanon-spells-out-painful-steps-required-in-financial-rescue-plan-278183" hreflang="en">Lebanon spells out 'painful steps' required in financial rescue plan</a> 
 
In another trend that evoked Omar's encounter, the source added, "more than one victim has said the perpetrators apologised while robbing them". 
 
Tens of thousands of Lebanese have lost their jobs or part of their salaries, while a crippling dollar shortage has sparked rapid inflation. 
 
The Lebanese pound, though officially pegged to the dollar at 1,507, reached a peak of more than 9,000 to the greenback on the black market in early July. 
 
With Lebanon heavily reliant on imports, the price of medicine, baby milk and food has reached record highs.&nbsp; 
 
The price of a relatively cheap brand of diapers has shot up from 15,000 Lebanese pounds ($10 at the official rate) to 34,000 pounds ($23) per pack. 
 
And the cost of a tin of baby milk has climbed from 23,000 ($15) to 35,000 pounds ($23) on average, with some brands selling for as much as 45,000 pounds ($30).

'Deteriorating conditions' 
In a video widely shared on social media this month, three men were filmed walking away from a Beirut restaurant carrying a large and heavy-looking safe. 
 
Walid Ataya, the restaurant owner, said: "They took money from the cash register, even the spare change. Then they scoured the place until they spotted the safe, which they couldn't open." 
 
He did not reveal exactly how much was lost but said the robbers stole the proceeds from "two years' worth of work". 
 
Ataya, who owns a chain of upscale restaurants in Beirut, said the safe contained cash he did not want to deposit in a bank, now a common concern. 
 
Since the autumn, Lebanese banks have gradually forbidden depositors from withdrawing their dollar savings or transferring them abroad, prompting many to stash cash in their offices or at home. 
 
Apart from money, increasingly more cars are being stolen. 
 
The ISF has recorded 303 vehicle thefts so far this year -- more than the 273 in the second half of last year. 
 
The increase, the security source said, was clearly linked to "deteriorating economic conditions and rising youth unemployment".&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Zakaria al-Omar was walking through Beirut when a stranger robbed him at knifepoint, a desperate crime of a kind that has become increasingly common in crisis-torn Lebanon.

Zakaria al-Omar was walking through Beirut when a stranger robbed him at knifepoint, a desperate crime of a kind that has become increasingly common in crisis-torn Lebanon. The small Mediterranean country is mired in an economic crisis marked by a steep currency fall and runaway inflation that have plunged nearly half of the population into poverty. Omar, a 37-year-old graphic designer, recalled the terrifying and tragic encounter that started when a man in his 40s crept up behind him as he walked alone at night through Beirut's Hamra commercial district. Also read: Lebanon protests: President Michel Aoun urges nation to unite "He told me that he didn't want to hurt me. He asked me to give him money or take him to a grocery store to buy some food," Omar recounted. "He said his children back home were crying from hunger." The robber grabbed the money and darted toward his motorcycle, then stopped dead in his tracks and returned, explaining that he had lost his job and could no longer pay the rent. "He started crying and apologised to me," Omar told AFP. "He told me that he was not a thief but that he was hungry and so were his children." Omar said he refused to take back the cash. "I told him that I forgave him, and then he went away," Omar said. "I was scared but I also felt sad for that man breaking down in front of me." Lebanon's Internal Security Forces say crime rates have shot up this year amid Lebanon's worst economic turmoil since the 1975-1990 civil war. The ISF recorded 863 thefts and robberies in the first half of this year, up from 650 for all of 2019, according to a document seen by AFP. Apologetic robbers A security official who asked not to be named told AFP that broader crime rates during the first half of 2020 reached a six-year peak, especially murders and robberies. The rise appeared to be driven by the deepening economic crisis, said the official, who was not authorised to speak on the issue. Police were noticing a "new kind of theft that involves mainly baby milk, food, and medicine", the source said. Also read: Lebanon spells out 'painful steps' required in financial rescue plan In another trend that evoked Omar's encounter, the source added, "more than one victim has said the perpetrators apologised while robbing them". Tens of thousands of Lebanese have lost their jobs or part of their salaries, while a crippling dollar shortage has sparked rapid inflation. The Lebanese pound, though officially pegged to the dollar at 1,507, reached a peak of more than 9,000 to the greenback on the black market in early July. With Lebanon heavily reliant on imports, the price of medicine, baby milk and food has reached record highs. The price of a relatively cheap brand of diapers has shot up from 15,000 Lebanese pounds ($10 at the official rate) to 34,000 pounds ($23) per pack. And the cost of a tin of baby milk has climbed from 23,000 ($15) to 35,000 pounds ($23) on average, with some brands selling for as much as 45,000 pounds ($30). 'Deteriorating conditions' In a video widely shared on social media this month, three men were filmed walking away from a Beirut restaurant carrying a large and heavy-looking safe. Walid Ataya, the restaurant owner, said: "They took money from the cash register, even the spare change. Then they scoured the place until they spotted the safe, which they couldn't open." He did not reveal exactly how much was lost but said the robbers stole the proceeds from "two years' worth of work". Ataya, who owns a chain of upscale restaurants in Beirut, said the safe contained cash he did not want to deposit in a bank, now a common concern. Since the autumn, Lebanese banks have gradually forbidden depositors from withdrawing their dollar savings or transferring them abroad, prompting many to stash cash in their offices or at home. Apart from money, increasingly more cars are being stolen. The ISF has recorded 303 vehicle thefts so far this year -- more than the 273 in the second half of last year. The increase, the security source said, was clearly linked to "deteriorating economic conditions and rising youth unemployment".

'Hunger crimes' on the rise in crisis-hit Lebanon

Poor people in Lebanon are struggling to buy food and other basic items as the country fails to do anything to remedy its collapsing currency and wider financial meltdown, raising big concerns for its stability.

Basic necessities like food become unaffordable in Lebanon

The war in Syria is entering its tenth year and there seems to be no end to Syrians grief and pain from the ravaging violence. The war has resulted in an unprecedented food crisis and crumbling infrastructure.&nbsp;

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As the Syrians continue to live in fear and despair, the coronavirus pandemic has further wreaked havoc in the country, as the health sector is in tatters.&nbsp;

In an attempt to help Syria, over 60 governments and NGOs will attend a meeting lead by the European Union as the United Nations have sought 10 billion dollars for the country to fight the coronavirus pandemic. 
&nbsp; 
This is the tenth year of conflict and armed struggle in Syria. A fire fed by international actors and local groups. One of the deadliest in the century. The conflict broke out when Syrians took to the streets on March 15, 2011.

They were protesting against the government of President Bashar Al Assad. In response, the government launched a brutal crackdown. Rebel groups took shape turning a protest into a civil war.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/source-very-very-important-who-will-send-expert-team-to-china-to-investigate-covid-19s-origin-309694" hreflang="en">‘Source very, very important’: WHO will send expert team to China to investigate COVID-19’s origin</a>

By June 2013, 90 thousand people had been killed. International forces intervened and thus began a war which has killed over 380,000 people. And triggered the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.

The war divided global players. Russia and Iran back President Assad. The United States and Turkey support different rebel groups. Caught in the crossfire are the people of Syria.

More than 5.6 million people have fled the country and become international refugees. More than 6.5 million have been displaced internally. 9.3 million Syrians are fighting hunger.

70 per cent of the population doesn't have access to drinking water. Millions of children are out of school. Food prices have soared more than 200 per cent.

The World Health Organisation says over 90 per cent of the Syrian population lives on less than $2 a day making it one of the poorest countries in the world.

The so-called Islamic state tried to exploit the chaos. And declared a caliphate in 2014. Years of fighting have pushed them out of their last strongholds like Idlib.&nbsp;

But innocent Syrians have been collateral damage. The United Nations says there's evidence that all sides were guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and rape.

The Assad govt has been accused of using chemical weapons against its people. In 2013, the Sarin gas was used in Damascus, killing hundreds of people.&nbsp;

In 2014, chlorine was used. The ISIS has been accused of using sulphur mustard. Airstrikes have turned entire cities into ghost towns.&nbsp;

Nine years and counting, Syria remains caught in a deadly cycle of failed peace talks and proxy wars.&nbsp;

The war in Syria is entering its tenth year and there seems to be no end to Syrians grief and pain from the ravaging violence. The war has resulted in an unprecedented food crisis and crumbling infrastructure.

The war in Syria is entering its tenth year and there seems to be no end to Syrians grief and pain from the ravaging violence. The war has resulted in an unprecedented food crisis and crumbling infrastructure. Also read: India bans Chinese apps: What does the decision mean for Beijing? As the Syrians continue to live in fear and despair, the coronavirus pandemic has further wreaked havoc in the country, as the health sector is in tatters. In an attempt to help Syria, over 60 governments and NGOs will attend a meeting lead by the European Union as the United Nations have sought 10 billion dollars for the country to fight the coronavirus pandemic. This is the tenth year of conflict and armed struggle in Syria. A fire fed by international actors and local groups. One of the deadliest in the century. The conflict broke out when Syrians took to the streets on March 15, 2011. They were protesting against the government of President Bashar Al Assad. In response, the government launched a brutal crackdown. Rebel groups took shape turning a protest into a civil war. Also read: ‘Source very, very important’: WHO will send expert team to China to investigate COVID-19’s origin By June 2013, 90 thousand people had been killed. International forces intervened and thus began a war which has killed over 380,000 people. And triggered the biggest refugee crisis since World War II. The war divided global players. Russia and Iran back President Assad. The United States and Turkey support different rebel groups. Caught in the crossfire are the people of Syria. More than 5.6 million people have fled the country and become international refugees. More than 6.5 million have been displaced internally. 9.3 million Syrians are fighting hunger. 70 per cent of the population doesn't have access to drinking water. Millions of children are out of school. Food prices have soared more than 200 per cent. The World Health Organisation says over 90 per cent of the Syrian population lives on less than $2 a day making it one of the poorest countries in the world. The so-called Islamic state tried to exploit the chaos. And declared a caliphate in 2014. Years of fighting have pushed them out of their last strongholds like Idlib. But innocent Syrians have been collateral damage. The United Nations says there's evidence that all sides were guilty of war crimes including murder, torture and rape. The Assad govt has been accused of using chemical weapons against its people. In 2013, the Sarin gas was used in Damascus, killing hundreds of people. In 2014, chlorine was used. The ISIS has been accused of using sulphur mustard. Airstrikes have turned entire cities into ghost towns. Nine years and counting, Syria remains caught in a deadly cycle of failed peace talks and proxy wars.

Syria faces food crisis and crumbling infrastructure due to years of war

Thousands of people queued for food parcels amid lockdown in the South African city of Centurion. Drone footage showed thousands standing a in queue that stretched for 4 kilometres.

4 km-long queue for food parcels in South Africa

The United Nations on Monday said it was very concerned about acute food crisis in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/70-countries-urge-north-korea-to-scrap-nuclear-ballistic-weapons-217659">North Korea and the country</a> was in an urgent need of livelihoods assistance.

David Beasley, the head of the UN World Food Programme, appealed for donations to solve the crisis and vowed that he would ensure that the aid reaches the neediest people there.

Beasley was in Seoul to meet South Korean Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-Chul and discuss the findings of a recent joint report by WFP and Food and Agriculture Organization on the critical hunger situation in North Korea, the Ministry said in a statement.

The report stressed that some 10 million North Koreans (40 per cent of its population) face an imminent shortage of food, especially in the summer months preceding the next big harvest, due to the worst agricultural yield in a decade.

“We are very concerned about the situation there, and we are hopeful that we can come up with some solutions," Beasley told reporters after he met with the South Korean minister.

"Whatever we do, we will assure the donors that the food or any assistance will meet their objectives. We'll have monitoring systems in place," he added in statements reported by Yonhap news agency.

Beasley was referring to cases where food aid shipments sent in the past to North Korea were allegedly redirected to the army and the regime elites instead of reaching those who needed it the most.

The meeting comes after the South Korean government last week expressed its intention to provide food aid to its northern neighbour, with whom it remains technically at war since 1950.

According to the ministry, Beasley and Kim both agreed on the need to separate humanitarian and political issues in reference to the recent missile launches by North Korea amid a stagnancy in denuclearization talks.

Kim Yeon-Chul said he would analyze the possibility of activating nutritional support donation programs especially for children and pregnant women, adds the text.

The South Korean minister is expected to meet with representatives of civic and religious groups Tuesday to study an aid package.

In 2017, the South Korean government approved an aid package for the North valued at $8 million to be channelled through international agencies, although the package is yet to be sent due to the lack of progress in denuclearization dialogue.

The last time Seoul sent food assistance (5,000 tonnes of rice) to North Korea was in 2010.&nbsp;

The United Nations on Monday said it was very concerned about acute food crisis in North Korea and the country was in an urgent need of livelihoods assistance. David Beasley, the head of the UN World Food Programme, appealed for donations to solve the crisis and vowed that he would ensure that the aid reaches the neediest people there.

The United Nations on Monday said it was very concerned about acute food crisis in North Korea and the country was in an urgent need of livelihoods assistance. David Beasley, the head of the UN World Food Programme, appealed for donations to solve the crisis and vowed that he would ensure that the aid reaches the neediest people there. Beasley was in Seoul to meet South Korean Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-Chul and discuss the findings of a recent joint report by WFP and Food and Agriculture Organization on the critical hunger situation in North Korea, the Ministry said in a statement. The report stressed that some 10 million North Koreans (40 per cent of its population) face an imminent shortage of food, especially in the summer months preceding the next big harvest, due to the worst agricultural yield in a decade. “We are very concerned about the situation there, and we are hopeful that we can come up with some solutions," Beasley told reporters after he met with the South Korean minister. "Whatever we do, we will assure the donors that the food or any assistance will meet their objectives. We'll have monitoring systems in place," he added in statements reported by Yonhap news agency. Beasley was referring to cases where food aid shipments sent in the past to North Korea were allegedly redirected to the army and the regime elites instead of reaching those who needed it the most. The meeting comes after the South Korean government last week expressed its intention to provide food aid to its northern neighbour, with whom it remains technically at war since 1950. According to the ministry, Beasley and Kim both agreed on the need to separate humanitarian and political issues in reference to the recent missile launches by North Korea amid a stagnancy in denuclearization talks. Kim Yeon-Chul said he would analyze the possibility of activating nutritional support donation programs especially for children and pregnant women, adds the text. The South Korean minister is expected to meet with representatives of civic and religious groups Tuesday to study an aid package. In 2017, the South Korean government approved an aid package for the North valued at $8 million to be channelled through international agencies, although the package is yet to be sent due to the lack of progress in denuclearization dialogue. The last time Seoul sent food assistance (5,000 tonnes of rice) to North Korea was in 2010.

North Korea facing food shortage, says United Nations

Eleven people have died in flooding in Niger and 30,000 have been rendered homeless after vast swathes of the country, &nbsp;including arid desert locations, were deluged with heavy rain, the United Nations (UN) said today. 
 
The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west, where seven people died and 5,321 people were left homeless, and Agadez in the north where three people were killed and 18,448 lost their homes, according to the UN`s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 
 
In the two areas, the freak weather claimed the lives of 19,536 cows, goats, sheep and camels while also devastating hundreds of acres of land, according to local authorities.&nbsp; 
 
Images broadcast by public television showed roads cut off by streams and land littered with rotting animal corpses. 
 
In the Agadez region, annual rainfall seldom exceeds 130 millimetres and floods like those seen in recent days are rare.&nbsp; 
 
But since June, as much as 115 millimetres has regularly been falling in a matter of hours, according to weather reports. 
 
Nigerien authorities and the UN have been distributing food aid to help families displaced by the flooding.&nbsp; 
 
Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought. 
 
The rains are unlikely to ease the pressure on the country&#39;s food supply, &nbsp;given the damage flooding caused by climate change has wrought on crops.&nbsp; 
 
In early June, &nbsp;the UN warned that flooding could affect 100,000 people in the poor desert country by the end of the year. 
 
In 2015 as many as 103,000 people were left homeless by floods that claimed the lives of tens of victims. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west and Agadez in the north

Eleven people have died in flooding in Niger and 30,000 have been rendered homeless after vast swathes of the country, including arid desert locations, were deluged with heavy rain, the United Nations (UN) said today. The worst affected regions are both desert areas: Tahoua in the west, where seven people died and 5,321 people were left homeless, and Agadez in the north where three people were killed and 18,448 lost their homes, according to the UN`s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In the two areas, the freak weather claimed the lives of 19,536 cows, goats, sheep and camels while also devastating hundreds of acres of land, according to local authorities. Images broadcast by public television showed roads cut off by streams and land littered with rotting animal corpses. In the Agadez region, annual rainfall seldom exceeds 130 millimetres and floods like those seen in recent days are rare. But since June, as much as 115 millimetres has regularly been falling in a matter of hours, according to weather reports. Nigerien authorities and the UN have been distributing food aid to help families displaced by the flooding. Niger is in the midst of its annual rainy season, having struggled to overcome a severe food crisis caused by drought. The rains are unlikely to ease the pressure on the country's food supply, given the damage flooding caused by climate change has wrought on crops. In early June, the UN warned that flooding could affect 100,000 people in the poor desert country by the end of the year. In 2015 as many as 103,000 people were left homeless by floods that claimed the lives of tens of victims. (AFP)

Niger floods kill 11, 30,000 rendered homeless

South Sudan marks five years of independence on Saturday with celebrations cancelled in the face of a deepening hunger crisis and fears the world&#39;s youngest country could slide back into war. 
 
Tens of thousands have died in a civil war since December 2013 that has left the economy in ruins, forcing the government to abandon independence celebrations for the first time since secession from Sudan. 
 
The International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned backers of a stalled peace process to act &quot;urgently&quot; to save it &quot;and prevent the country from returning to full-scale combat&quot;. 
 
The conflict has triggered a humanitarian crisis with over two million people forced from their homes and almost five million in need of emergency food, over a third of the population. 
 
&quot;Life is as bad as it has ever been in South Sudan,&quot; said human rights lawyer David Deng, pointing to soaring inflation, rising attacks by gunmen, hunger and intense distrust between rival forces.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;If this situation isn&#39;t salvaged soon, I feel we may be looking at a protracted conflict every bit as bad as the 22-year war&quot; that preceded secession, Deng said. 
 
Prices of goods and services have soared since 2011, with inflation running at almost 300 per cent, and the currency slumping by 90 per cent this year. 
 
&quot;The fact that government does not have money to celebrate the anniversary highlights the magnitude of the economic problem,&quot; said James Alic Garang, an economist with the Juba-based Ebony Center think tank. 
 
After a 1983-2005 civil war, the country split from Sudan on July 9, 2011, following a referendum six months earlier. 
 
Since then South Sudan has fought a brief war with old enemy Sudan over oil, before turning on itself in a civil war that broke out in December 2013. 
 
Rebel chief Riek Machar returned to the capital in April as part of a peace deal which saw him become vice president, forging a unity government with President Salva Kiir.&nbsp;Yet fighting continues. 
 
Babikr Yawa, a mother of three, fled fighting last month in the Kajo-Keji district, close to the border with Uganda. 
 
&quot;We are suffering here. There is no food, no good shelter,&quot; Yawa said. &quot;What we want is that President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar should end the conflict.&quot; 
 
In June, fighting in the town of Wau, now the country&#39;s second city after Malakal, Bor and Bentiu were razed during the war, forced some 88,000 people to flee their homes, with almost 20,000 seeking shelter beside a UN base. 
 
The peace deal is simply being ignored, the ICG said. 
 
&quot;Formerly warring parties are now flouting it and increasingly preparing for widespread conflict,&quot; ICG said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Unless something is done, it is a matter of only a little time before there is a return to war, and the agreement collapses.&quot; 
 
The mood on the streets is very far from the celebrations of 2011. 
 
Earlier this year UN chief Ban Ki-moon recalled the sense of euphoria, &quot;the pride, the spirit, the hope&quot;, when he witnessed the raising of the new country&#39;s flag at independence. 
 
Speaking after his last visit in February, Ban spoke instead of how &quot;that hope has been betrayed... by those who put power and profit over people&quot; in a speech citing &quot;massive human rights violations and epic corruption&quot;. The economic collapse is driving unrest and threatening peace, aid workers say. 
 
&quot;A peaceful South Sudan cannot be built without solid foundations,&quot; said Oxfam&#39;s country chief Zlatko Gegic. &quot;South Sudan&#39;s economy is in crisis. Without economic reform, its people will continue to suffer and the fragile peace process will be jeopardised.&quot; 
 
A kilogramme of sugar that used to cost eight South Sudanese pounds now costs 30 South Sudanese pounds , while a 50-kilogramme bag of white flour that once sold for 180 South Sudanese pounds , now costs 1,200 South Sudanese pounds . 
 
&quot;We are just living in problems and nothing is good,&quot; said Etisam Ahmed, sitting in a market on the dusty streets of Juba. &quot;We are just here by God&#39;s grace. If you go to the market today and buy something, tomorrow you will find the price has increased. So how can we survive?&quot; 
 
More than 160,000 civilians are living in UN-guarded camps across the country, down from a peak of more than 200,000 at the height of the war, a clear indicator that many feel it is still too dangerous to go home. 
 
South Sudanese say that there is no doubt independence was the right choice, but many are deeply saddened by the turn their nation has taken and are yet to see the benefits of peace. 
 
&quot;I think it will be hard to find a South Sudanese person who regrets independence, despite all that has happened,&quot; Deng said. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s not to say that independence was the silver bullet that people made it out to be at the time. It is clear now that even without the role of Khartoum there, in terms of destabilising South Sudan, we had our own share of issues that needed to be addressed.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

With soaring casualties in the civil war, inflation and a massive food emergency, the world's youngest nation struggles to stand on its feet

South Sudan marks five years of independence on Saturday with celebrations cancelled in the face of a deepening hunger crisis and fears the world's youngest country could slide back into war. Tens of thousands have died in a civil war since December 2013 that has left the economy in ruins, forcing the government to abandon independence celebrations for the first time since secession from Sudan. The International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned backers of a stalled peace process to act "urgently" to save it "and prevent the country from returning to full-scale combat". The conflict has triggered a humanitarian crisis with over two million people forced from their homes and almost five million in need of emergency food, over a third of the population. "Life is as bad as it has ever been in South Sudan," said human rights lawyer David Deng, pointing to soaring inflation, rising attacks by gunmen, hunger and intense distrust between rival forces. "If this situation isn't salvaged soon, I feel we may be looking at a protracted conflict every bit as bad as the 22-year war" that preceded secession, Deng said. Prices of goods and services have soared since 2011, with inflation running at almost 300 per cent, and the currency slumping by 90 per cent this year. "The fact that government does not have money to celebrate the anniversary highlights the magnitude of the economic problem," said James Alic Garang, an economist with the Juba-based Ebony Center think tank. After a 1983-2005 civil war, the country split from Sudan on July 9, 2011, following a referendum six months earlier. Since then South Sudan has fought a brief war with old enemy Sudan over oil, before turning on itself in a civil war that broke out in December 2013. Rebel chief Riek Machar returned to the capital in April as part of a peace deal which saw him become vice president, forging a unity government with President Salva Kiir. Yet fighting continues. Babikr Yawa, a mother of three, fled fighting last month in the Kajo-Keji district, close to the border with Uganda. "We are suffering here. There is no food, no good shelter," Yawa said. "What we want is that President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar should end the conflict." In June, fighting in the town of Wau, now the country's second city after Malakal, Bor and Bentiu were razed during the war, forced some 88,000 people to flee their homes, with almost 20,000 seeking shelter beside a UN base. The peace deal is simply being ignored, the ICG said. "Formerly warring parties are now flouting it and increasingly preparing for widespread conflict," ICG said. "Unless something is done, it is a matter of only a little time before there is a return to war, and the agreement collapses." The mood on the streets is very far from the celebrations of 2011. Earlier this year UN chief Ban Ki-moon recalled the sense of euphoria, "the pride, the spirit, the hope", when he witnessed the raising of the new country's flag at independence. Speaking after his last visit in February, Ban spoke instead of how "that hope has been betrayed... by those who put power and profit over people" in a speech citing "massive human rights violations and epic corruption". The economic collapse is driving unrest and threatening peace, aid workers say. "A peaceful South Sudan cannot be built without solid foundations," said Oxfam's country chief Zlatko Gegic. "South Sudan's economy is in crisis. Without economic reform, its people will continue to suffer and the fragile peace process will be jeopardised." A kilogramme of sugar that used to cost eight South Sudanese pounds now costs 30 South Sudanese pounds , while a 50-kilogramme bag of white flour that once sold for 180 South Sudanese pounds , now costs 1,200 South Sudanese pounds . "We are just living in problems and nothing is good," said Etisam Ahmed, sitting in a market on the dusty streets of Juba. "We are just here by God's grace. If you go to the market today and buy something, tomorrow you will find the price has increased. So how can we survive?" More than 160,000 civilians are living in UN-guarded camps across the country, down from a peak of more than 200,000 at the height of the war, a clear indicator that many feel it is still too dangerous to go home. South Sudanese say that there is no doubt independence was the right choice, but many are deeply saddened by the turn their nation has taken and are yet to see the benefits of peace. "I think it will be hard to find a South Sudanese person who regrets independence, despite all that has happened," Deng said. "That's not to say that independence was the silver bullet that people made it out to be at the time. It is clear now that even without the role of Khartoum there, in terms of destabilising South Sudan, we had our own share of issues that needed to be addressed." (AFP)

Little to celebrate as South Sudan turns five

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