At least 4,000 internally displaced persons in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, who are now returning to their homes have started receiving relief food items and seeds.
The county was rocked by conflicts and violence between pastoralists from Jonglei State and the local population earlier in the year which resulted in killings and displacements.
Francois Nzabahimana, the Head of Mission of Caritas Luxemburg which is based in Torit town, told Radio Tamazuj that they are returnees in Agoro, Chomoro, and Abara among other places affected by cattle related conflict recently.
“Our support is aimed at supporting people who come back to their houses and we are targeting 4,000 people around greater Magwi from Abara to Nimule,” he said. “Our target is to help them to come back home by giving them some food items that will help them for some days and some of them will also receive some seeds so as they can catch up with the agriculture planting season.”
“These are people who were affected by the cattle raiding violence in January, February, and March and now they have gone home and some of them found their houses destroyed and we want to help them,” he added.
Ojara Alex Celi, the youth leader in Iwire Payam, confirmed the distribution of the humanitarian.
“This maize was brought to the Payam and they started distributing on Monday in Maji Agoro and on Tuesday they went to the Madi corridor,” he said. “This is good support which we appreciate. Registration (of recipients) has been done well and I am monitoring. They gave me maize.”
The chief of Abara Boma in Magwi County, Onen David Kamilo, said targeted recipients have been registered in his area but that the relief items had not yet arrived.
“Let them hurry up with their support. This is June now and we need food and seeds. There are still some people remaining in Magwi who fear returning because of the devastation in their homes,” he said. “I do not know whether people will cope with life because there is no money for children to be enrolled in schools.”
Lachere Anthony, the executive director of Eye of Mercy Organization, which is implementing the distribution of the relief items, said they were giving maize, beans, and cooking oil.
“Each household gets 50 kg of maize, 10 kg beans, 3 liters of cooking oil, and 5 packets of table salt. People have to return to their homes to cultivate,” he said. “We need to cultivate since the rain has started.”