Renk County in Upper Nile State, South Sudan, is grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis as more than 150,000 returnees, including refugees, are in urgent need of aid.
Months after their arrival from Sudan, these individuals find themselves without basic necessities in the wake of ongoing fighting in Sudan that erupted on April 15th between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Achol John, a representative of the returnees, lamented their distressing conditions, stating, “People started arriving in Renk without food or shelter. Life is difficult. Imagine the difficult journey all the way home from the Khartoum zone only to stay in the open. We are really suffering without food or shelter.” She emphasized the need for support from the government and aid agencies to provide much-needed shelter.
“We are now without food. There is nothing at all. We are only thankful that we made it home safely. So we call on the government and aid agencies to put up shelters for us,” Achol continued. She expressed gratitude towards the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for their assistance during their arrival and transportation efforts.
John Michael, another returnee, echoed the dire circumstances and urged authorities and aid agencies to intervene. He detailed the arduous journey the returnees undertook from Sudan, which began in June and continued until the end of July, with their eventual arrival in Renk County. Many children lost their lives during the journey, and their property was looted by bandits.
Michael emphasized the shortage of water as a significant challenge, stating, “We have some medicines and there are no reported shortages of medicines. We are only facing shortages of water. The shortage of water is a huge problem for facing the large number of returnees camping inside Upper Nile University in Renk town.” He noted that the World Food Programme (WFP) had distributed funds to individuals, with plans for ongoing distribution over the next three months.
Kak Phuli Kak, Renk County commissioner, acknowledged the dire conditions faced by the returnees, emphasizing that assistance was urgently needed. “When the war started in Sudan, we started receiving returnees. Since they arrived, we have helped settle them but nothing has been provided to them. We are engaging our partners so that they come to their aid,” Kak stated. He mentioned the involvement of national-level delegations, including one sent by the first lady, to provide shelter and food aid.
Arop Laak Phuli, the County Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) Coordinator, added his voice to the plea for aid. “We received a large influx of returnees with refugees 11,000 and numbers of returnees 150,000 more returnees in Upper Nile University in Renk town,” he said. “These people are miserable and they need food and shelter. We also need a measles vaccination campaign to rescue the lives of the children.”
The situation remains critical as efforts are made to address the immediate needs of the displaced individuals in Renk County.