Sudanese refugees predominantly from the Darfur Region have voiced concerns over acute food scarcity and lack of medical services at the Wedwil Refugee Camp in Aweil West County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
Since the war broke out in Sudan on 15 April between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), over 7,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
Radio Tamazuj sounded out some of the refugees at the camp and they said their lives were threatened by hunger and harsh living conditions since they arrived in South Sudan.
Hassania Mohammed, a refugee who came from Nyala, the capital of Sudan’s Southern Darfur State, confirmed that some refugees go for days without food.
“I can confirm to you that there are some refugees who are orphans and they spend two to three days without eating because there is not enough food distribution happening at the refugee center,” she said.
Another refugee from Eastern Darfur State, Yosif Mohammed, also highlighted the dire conditions.
“Our issues are not good nowadays in terms of accessing food items,” she gloomily explained. “We only receive small quantities of consumables such as lentils and oil from the Welt Hunger Organization for 28 days.”
For his part, the Deputy Chairperson for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Angelo Deng Akol, confirmed that humanitarian organizations and the state government are doing their best to ensure that the refugees are receiving quality and sufficient food plus medical and educational services.
“The refugees who came from Sudan are accommodated in the Wedwil Refugees Site in Aweil West County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State,” he said. “All the humanitarian organizations headed by UNHCR and the Government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State are working hard to provide them with food, health, and education services.”