By Adia Jildo
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Peter Van Der appealed for additional funding for South Sudan to meet the needs for returnees and refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.
The appeal comes after a humanitarian team led by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management visited the Renk and Paloch to access the humanitarian situation there.
According to Upper Nile authorities, over 40,000 returnees and refugees have crossed to South Sudan through the entry points in Renk.
Peter describes the situation of those camping at the border areas in Upper Nile as ‘intolerable’ currently.
He says the additional funding would be used to provide humanitarian assistance to the people who need it immediately on arrival.
“There are a lot of people inside South Sudan that are in need of humanitarian assistance from food to medical support. We have to make sure those people still have access to humanitarian assistance to survive and to meet their dignified lives,” Peter said.
“We are appealing to the international communities to see to it to revive additional support.”
Meanwhile, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Albino Akol Atak said the influx of returnees and refugees at the border is alarming.
He said the government is making receptions centers to register, categorize those fleeing the conflict before they are facilitated to their states or camps.
“We need to stop the flow of returnees and refugees towards Paloch because we want to separate and make a smooth management of the crisis. So, whoever comes from the border should stay in Renk where we set up some facility for them to stay and then the government will arrange for their evacuation from there,” he said.
Since the fighting began over 100,000 people are said to have fled Sudan and 300,000 people are displaced inside the Country, according to the United Nations.
The number is expected to increase as intense fighting continues in Sudan.
