Continued Displacement Southwards Escaping War in Sudan
Moatinoon
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan stated today that those fleeing the war in Sudan continue to pour into the newest country in the world, which is itself caught in the grip of ongoing cycles of conflict.
It was explained that every day since April, around 1,000 individuals cross the border from Sudan into the Upper Nile state in South Sudan, in dire conditions, seeking safety and humanitarian support.
Due to the volatile situation in the country, the UN mission has given special importance to the security aspect. It stated that it has established a security monitoring system and an effective response plan in case of any potential threats to civilian lives, and it has bolstered its mission in Renk with additional forces.
Deng Lual Ajak, Deputy Director of the Missions Refugee Center, stated, With no end in sight to the violence in Sudan, people are still coming to us in South Sudan. He added, We are doing our utmost, but there is a severe shortage of food, clean water, and medicine.
The mission confirmed that over 200,000 individuals have entered the country, and some have been transported from their entry points to various locations throughout the country, while others are living in temporary transit sites.
The majority of returnees are citizens of South Sudan who had previously fled to Sudan due to local conflicts.
In Renk alone, more than 10,000 returnees and refugees have been accommodated in these centers.
UN official Deng Lual Ajak expressed concern that many of them are unaccompanied minors, noting that the majority of those fleeing are women and children. He added that their needs are immense, as is the trauma they have experienced.
The escapees describe their situations and arrival conditions as a nightmare.
Nyariik Momker Anyen, 43 years old, who spent days on the road with three children in a desperate attempt to reach safety in her own country, South Sudan, after the fighting erupted in Khartoum where she was living, said, I couldnt believe it when I heard gunfire and shelling. She added, My husband and I fled to Sudan to escape the civil war in South Sudan. Look where fate has brought us again. Weve been displaced twice.
She currently resides in a relatively safe transit center for returnees in Renk, Upper Nile state, and she shares her experiences.
Josephine Amini Ajak, 72 years old, sitting on a plastic chair and shielding her face from the sun under a tent used as a clinic, waiting for a nurse to attend to her wounds, said, I was injured while fleeing the fighting in Sudan. Many of us were rushing and I fell and hurt my knee. It was painful. But our physical wounds will heal. What pains me the most is that we escaped violence and sought peace in Sudan. And now, after 10 years, were in the same situation. Weve returned with nothing.
