People in Eastern Equatoria State’s Magwi County who have recently returned from refugee camps in neighboring Uganda are in dire need of humanitarian food assistance among other basic services
The county has since January registered over 3000 voluntary returnees from Uganda and Kenya according to officials.
Joyce Angua, a mother of eight who returned from Palabek Refugee Camp in northern Uganda, said she finds it hard to support her children and appealed to humanitarian agencies to intervene.
“I came from the camp because food was not enough. We were given 3 kilograms of maize and half a liter of oil which is not enough and that is why I came back. Since I arrived here, I have not received anything and we have no food,” she said. “I do not even have money for school fees that is why we are collecting firewood to sell and buy food for my children. I need to be helped with food.”
“The education of these children is also a problem for me,” Angua added.
Another returnee, Julius Idro, said lack of food, shelter, and medicine are some of the challenges they face.
“Ever since we returned, we have not gotten any support in the form of food, shelter, and medicine. Some places do not have health facilities. One of our problems is that elephants are destroying our small farms,” he said. “Those who arrived recently have no shelter and we are calling on humanitarian agencies such as the UN or even the government to support us with shelter and food.”
For his part, Salva Ben Okeny, the Magwi County coordinator for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), confirmed that over 3,000 returnees need support and said that some of them might be forced to return to refugee camps in Uganda.
“These returnees are fine but lack food. From January to July, the number of returnees reached 3,000 individuals,” he said. “These returnees need to be supported because if there is no support, it will discourage those who are planning to return home.”
Meanwhile, Okuma Augustine, the Eastern Equatoria State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) chairperson, said they appealed to the World Food Programme (WFP) to intervene.
He urged the returnees to farm to reduce dependence on humanitarian support.
“We are trying our best and even last week I summoned the head chief of WFP regarding the humanitarian situation in the state.” He said. “It is not only the returnees, in Lafon there is hunger and people are eating wild fruits, so it is a general situation. The situation of the state is so dire. Once it starts raining, let people start cultivating.”