At least 1,036 South Sudanese returnees from different camps around Renk in Upper Nile State have left for Juba using river transport.

An official told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that a ship named the Nicla was loaded for Juba and is expected to arrive within 13 days.

Sultan Benson Juma noted that the ship was not large enough to carry all of the camp dwellers in Renk. “We still needs for more than ten trips to complete the transportation of returnees stranded in Upper Nile State,” he said.

Juma estimated the number of residents of Fayuar Camp at 16000, and Angany at 1800, with an unspecified number also along the river at the port (‘Mina Camp’).

One of the returnees, Aguany Kiir Akech, who is from Wanyjok in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, thanked the government for the transport to Juba but also requested that it “fulfill their offer until we reach our state that we were born.”

Kur Akol Kur said, “I thank our government and IOM for arranging to transport us to my homeland Northern Bahr el Ghazal because I cannot believe to get such a chance of being transported to Aweil.”

“I have no plan to settle myself but I am going to begin new life at home because we learned a lot of things from Khartoum like teaching, modern farming, health, laying of bricks and buildings,” said Charles, a returnee heading for Western Bahr el Ghazal.

Medical teams are on board the ship to respond to any medical emergencies while on the river.

Photo: Barges loaded with possessions of returnees in Renk, Upper Nile (UK Embassy)