At least three thousand displaced from Central Equatoria’s Katigiri Payam of Juba County face hunger and lack of shelter since they were displaced by conflict two weeks ago.
Residents hiding in five different locations said Friday that they have difficulty accessing food and various services back in their homes due to fear of reaction from the SPLA forces in the area.
One of the displaced hiding in the bush said by phone that they are about 1000 in four locations.
“There is no food,” the person said. “We have children age two months, one month, and one year. The children here now are suffering from different sicknesses. They are vomiting. I have two children who are nearly malnourished and do not eat well now. We have pregnant women.”
The source asked the government to ensure that the residents of Katigiri return home. He said the people of Katigiri heard of the ceasefire and are wondering why they were displaced at a time when peace has been signed by President Kiir.
He said the people were happy when they heard of the state fact-finding committee visit to the area last week adding that the community only fears the army’s behavior towards the local population. The army initially turned the fact-finding mission away from Wonduruba.
“What the army is doing is not good. Even we who want go and collect food now fear because four of our members who went to bring are now missing,” he said.
The source said the United Nations needs to come and assist the people to take them out of danger.
‘Living like in prison’
Another displaced, a local leader named Emmanuel Logworong, who is hiding in a different location said: ‘’We have 297 women, 216 men, 1275 children. We are okay but only the children are vomiting. We have two pregnant women. They are expecting but there is no road to lead us out of here.”
Logworong estimated the total population of Katigiri to be around 8678 saying this population is now hiding in the bushes with their children.
“The whole population of Katigiri is in the bushes. We are now living like in prison. No school for our children. Our health unit, NGO offices, houses were looted. I ask the government to think about us,” he urged.
Meanwhile, a Catholic priest who has stayed in Wonduruba throughout the latest violence and has visited people hiding in the bush has echoed these concerns.
“We saw thousands of people in the bush who need immediate help like food items, medicine, mosquito net, and temporary shelter otherwise many will die in the forest which will become unnoticed,” he said. “Today 25th September a 12 year old girl died in Logwerle due to fever who had no medicine to support. we also heard that a baby who was born died soon after the delivery in Mengele.”
The priest said most people have fled toward Lainya and are facing hunger, poor sanitation, lack of shelter, and lack of security for young girls.
“Food crops are eaten by the animals which will cause future starvation, remaining things will be completely looted, people in the bush will suffer [lack of] food, water and medicine and may die out of hunger,” he said.
The priest said they have reached some of the displaced after meeting “the Major” – an SPLA commander in the area – and the local Paramount Chief.
“We went into the bush and met people and encouraged them to be strong,” he explained. “We took a boy who was bitten by snake and admitted him and saved his life…We took two mamas who found it difficult in their delivery by taking them to the hospital. We helped some sick children and women to be admitted in the hospital from the bush and from Wonduruba.”
He said they have also distributed salt, soap, and maize flour from the Catholic Archdiocese in Juba.
“We are the only people who are moving and helping people who are remaining in wonduruba and people who are in the bush,” he said.
Houses burned, property looted
The priest also divulged new details about what took place in Wonduruba.
“When there was fight in Mangaro between the rebels and the military on 10th September people in Wonduruba left the places and no one remained here. The fight continued towards Mengele Katigiri and Lotemba, but not in Wonduruba,” he said, saying only three priests and a paramount chief with his entourage remained in the town.
“Since the people left the places their belongings were looted and the things in the shops are taken,” he explained. “In Mengele and Katigiri, the houses are burned by the fighting, so to say by the bullets. Some people might have been killed during fight.”
The priest urged people to return from the bush to protect their belongings, crops, and animals.
“Let the fear be vanished by trusting one another and caring one another with out having revenge,” he said. “Rumors are killing many people and it is the contagious and unhealable disease of South Sudan and that should be controlled.”
Related:
Boy shot dead in Wonduruba after fact-finding team departs (22 Sep.)
Population ‘terrorized’ by SPLA in Wonduruba (21 Sep.)
Villagers who escaped Wonduruba hungry in forests (20 Sep.)
Central Equatoria governor condemns attacks in Wonduruba payam (18 Sep.)
SPLA Commando unit prevents fact-finding team from visiting Katigiri (18 Sep.)
Ruling party MP accuses SPLA of terrorizing citizens in Wonduruba (17 Sep.)
CES govt forms fact-finding committee on Wonduruba violence (16 Sep.)
Civilians fleeing new conflict in Central Equatoria (14 Sep.)