A severe water shortage has hit the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Mangalla County of Central Equatoria State.
Mangalla is now home to tens of thousands of people displaced by the floods in parts of Jonglei State since August.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Atem Akuoc, Mangalla IDPs camp chairperson said they lack access to clean drinking water since their arrival at the camp five months ago, already creating tensions with the host community.
“In Mangalla, the population is very huge and there is no access to clean water. No boreholes have been dug here. People had to move for more than one hour to fetch water from the River Nile. So, as a result, some IDPs decided to relocate to an area near the river. This issue now created a tension between the displaced community and the host community because that area has not been allocated to the displaced,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the government and aid agencies to support the displaced by digging boreholes.
Rebecca Achol, a camp resident, also appealed for help, expressing fears that the water shortage could increase the risk of diseases.
“I gave birth a week ago but I had to move an hour to fetch water. I can't send a child to get me water because a 13-year-old girl was devoured by a crocodile in October. And from there, we only get 20 liters of water for cooking. We can not wash clothes or bathe. Children get diarrhea every day because there is no good hygiene and sanitation,” she said.
Jacob Aciek, the chairperson of the group National Civil Alliance, decried the condition of the displaced community in Mangalla, urging the government and its partners to provide the displaced with clean drinking water.