About 336 refugees from Kayga in the Nuba Mountains arrived at Yida refugee camp while hundreds more are still on the way having fled offensives by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) last month.
The refugees are in poor condition owing to their long journey plus a wait of more than 20 days at a transit compound in Yida because they refuse to relocate to Adjwang Thouk, the refugee site where UNHCR wants to register new arrivals from South Kordofan.
Although the group was given 18 days of food rations upon their arrival, this was finished ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, the registration office refused to register them in Yida, where they prefer to stay, making them ineligible for further food distributions.
According to Al Fahal Al Haj Kuku, representative of the Kayga refugees, they came after their village was attacked by the Sudanese government: “The attack was on 8 December, and before the attack there had been bombings. The place was attacked that day at 1:30 p.m. by something like more than 100 vehicles.”
Communities in Yida have helped the new arrivals to some extent, but they say they are still lacking food, water, clothes and medicine. According to the refugees’ leader about 700 more people from Kayga are still on the way footing to Yida camp.
The incoming group are traveling between Krongo in Kadugli Locality and Jau in Buram Locality.
Photos: Refugees walking between Jau and Yida, above (13 Jan. 2014), and upon arrival at UNHCR registration site, below (15-16 Jan. 2014) (Radio Tamazuj)