UNITY - A most troublesome scenario is unfolding in Unity State.
Even though the rainy season is long gone, the stagnant waters that hold the town of Bentiu hostage after years of extraordinary flooding are continuing to rise.
Vigilantly monitoring the water levels and maintaining the dykes that provide the only barrier between the water and residents are members of the Pakistan Military Engineering Task Force, serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
They are nervous as the current water levels are only seven centimetres less than at the highest peak, after heavy floods in 2022.
More than 5,400 square kilometres of this low-lying region is now covered by a dirty, brownish lake that has made the town, including a large displacement camp, a veritable island – protected only by massive earthen dykes and berms built and maintained by UNMISS and humanitarian partners.
“Our teams start the day by conducting foot patrols to identify weak spots and we shore them up as soon as they are flagged. It is like a race against time,” says Major Khizar Dilshad, the lead engineer for the Pakistani Blue Helmets.
He highlights the diverse challenges facing communities and peacekeeping missions, increasingly impacted by climate shocks which are equally as perilous as armed conflict.
To combat the threat, the keep adding soil to increase the height and width of the dykes holding back a sea of water, effectively protecting 300,000 people, including displaced families, as well as the airstrip, UN base and humanitarian facilities.
When the floods first hit, entire villages were washed away, health and education facilities submerged, and any chance of agricultural activities wiped out.
“The peacekeepers are doing an incredible job monitoring the waters, protecting the dykes, and keeping us safe,” says Rhoda James, who runs a small stall to support her family.
At the Rubkona airstrip, another engineering team from the same contingent, diligently levels red marram soil with a grader, while an excavator team is on standby to keep adding more.
“This airstrip is critical because it is the lifeline connecting Bentiu and the displaced community to the rest of the world. Our biggest priority is to keep it operable,” says Captain Ambar Asif, a female engineer with the Pakistani contingent.
So far, UNMISS engineers are confident that they can continue to protect the town. But the biggest challenge is now the limited availability of mud and sand to reinforce the dykes.
“We are almost on a tiny island, and we can only use the finite resources available,” says Major Nouman Zulfiqar, the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Pakistani Battalion.
“We will continue working to the best of our ability, because so many people depend on us,” he points to the cluster of tiny makeshift stalls next to the tall dyke walls, which also serve as the main supply route connecting Bentiu with southern neighbours.
As a testimony to their work, a group of young boys watch and wave to the engineers toiling in the hot sun to protect those they have travelled half-way around the world to serve.
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By Robin Giri
