Thousands of the population displaced in Lujulo County of South Sudan’s Yei River State have complained of lack of basic services in the area, a local official said.
Mario Taban, the area head chief of Yeiba village, said nearly 5,000 civilians displaced from villages are now returning to their areas, but still find it difficult to start a new life style after they lost all their properties to the armed opposition fighters in the area, months back.
He said food, water, medicines and education services are lacking among the formerly displaced persons returning to the village daily.
“I am heading Yeiba village, we are suffering. The soldiers burnt down all our houses and our properties. Our food and nonfood items were all burnt, we are now sleeping in the open and we want peace because we are tired of this war. We don’t have medicines, water and education services here,” Taban told Radio Tamazuj on Monday.
He added, “There are 4,600 people here and we need assistance”.
On his part, the county commissioner, Joseph Mawa John confirmed that thousands of displaced persons are returning home, but the government is unable to provide services to the vulnerable people.
Mawa urged humanitarian organizations operating in the area to support the population desperately in need of assistance.
He, however, said the area security situation was calm and stable.
“People are majorly lacking food, clean water, medicines, education support and non-food items. I am requesting the humanitarian organizations to help the community with the above items. All the facilities are intact, but need rehabilitation. The security situation is normal, people move from Lujulo to Morobo and from Lujulo to Otogo and Yei counties without any problem,” said Mawa.
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lujulo is one of the counties that witnessed several clashes between government troops and rebel fighters loyal to General Thomas Cirillo in January and February.