Authorities in South Sudan’s Kajo-Keji county of Yei River State say returnees are suffering due to lack of humanitarian aid despite several assessments conducted in the county.

Kajo-Keji county commissioner Amos Longa Modi told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that more than 10,000 returnees mostly elderly, women and children are surviving on wild fruits and leaves.

“The people need non-food items and food for only six months to start their livelihoods and if you look into their eyes, they look hungry,” he said.

Longa added, “Whenever an assessment is done, there is no feedback and I don’t know what is happening? The delay of this assessment is leaving community members confused because they have been expecting assistance but no response until today.”

The commissioner also pointed out that the returnees are also in urgent need of health services after the only health organization pulled out of the area.

Regina Keji, a returnee from a settlement in Uganda told Radio Tamazuj that their situation is dire.

“We have nothing; children and mothers are suffering because we have nothing to eat. We have seen several NGOs coming with flags to conduct needs assessments in areas of food, health, water, and education but we don’t see the results,” Keji lamented.

Keji who spoke on behalf of the returnees and IDPs is appealing to humanitarian organizations and the government to provide them with food, water, and health services.

She said many returnees have gone back to the refugee camps after receiving no aid to help them start rebuilding their lives.