The authorities of the Abyei Special Administrative Area (ASAA) on Tuesday confirmed that some flood-displaced citizens, including 110 people with special needs, received non-food items from the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on Monday.
The intervention is part of the Mission’s quick response to floods which began in August. Among the distributed items were gumboots, plastic sheets, and blankets among others that were delivered by the UNISFA Community Liaison Office.
Abyei Minister of General Education and Instruction Nyinkuany Aguer who is also the acting social welfare minister, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday the relief beneficiaries were severely affected by floods and that is why UNISFA stepped in to support the most vulnerable.
“The 110 people with special needs were given non-food items and these include blankets, empty jerrycans, gumboots, mosquito nets, and raincoats among other things,” he said. “The 110 is only the number of the disabled group and other flood-affected people also received items. So, we appreciate the UNISFA Community Liaison Office for considering our vulnerable people. The exercise took place on Monday.”
For his part, Abyei Information Minister Bulis Koch confirmed the distribution of relief items and thanked UNISFA and other NGOs and partners working in the area for their “unwavering support to the people of Abyei during the times of calamities.”
“Indeed, there were things distributed, especially the non-food materials like plastic sheets for the people to construct temporary shelters and blankets for the cold,” he said. “The disabled people also received materials for sleeping and for covering themselves when it gets cold. Last time they were given some wheelchairs to help them move about and some who missed received their wheelchairs on Monday.”
Koch announced that the local government and partners will jointly launch the next mass distribution of both food and non-food items to the rest of flood flood-affected people later month. He said that they also expect the flood levels to reduce, which will allow some displaced people residing on roadsides to return to their homes.
Regarding security, Koch reported that there is relative peace in and along the borders of Abyei. He however said some elements of the SSPDF along the Abyei-Twic County have been causing chaos in markets and urged the army to cooperate with the locals and work amicably to restore peace.