Arkangelo Sebit, Director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Yei River County in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State says that the county has received hundreds of conflict-displaced people from Maridi, Yambio and Mudri West counties of Western Equatoria State over the last few days.
Sebit said Tuesday that the town of Yei had received 400 internally displaced people recently, saying the internally displaced people were experiencing deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
He predicted more influx of new arrivals at any time. For their part, several displaced families told Radio Tamazuj that they came to Yei town by foot, while reporting bad conditions for people who are still living in the bush due to insecurity amid absence of humanitarian organizations in the area.
A mother who fled from Maridi said that she has lost three of her children. She does not know where they are since problems erupted in Maridi recently and they were separated.
Saba Mark, who fled from Mudri West, said the conflict-affected people are traumatized but trying to overcome it, while calling on local residents to pray for peace in their area.
However, he would nt say who was causing insecurity in the area. He said that he was separated from his relatives and friends in the bush. He called on the government to intervene by providing help to them in Yei town.
Meanwhile, Charles Sakran, a disabled man from Mundri, said they fled into the bush when fighting erupted in the area. “So when citizens hear the sound of guns, they run into the bush, you can stay in the bush for a long time, but if you return home to take food, fighting erupts again,” he said.
Charles said they are currently living with their relatives in Yei town amid lack of food in the area.”We were told that whoever has a relative here should stay together with him and that when the government comes in for help it will be announced on the radio,” he said.
He called on the government to talk with the armed group in the area for the sake of peace.