South Sudanese refugees in the Tergol Refugee Transit Camp of Gambella, Ethiopia have waited for weeks to be transferred to a permanent site without receiving any humanitarian assistance.

Nyibol Deng from Bor County of Jonglei State who is living at the camp with her husband and two children said that they have not received any assistance from humanitarian organizations so far.

Gatwech Gatkek, a refugee from Ayod County of Jonglei State, said he has been staying and sleeping under an uncompleted school building at the transit camp with his wife and five children for over 40 days without being relocated to a permanent site.

The refugees said they are depending on their Ethiopian host communities, who are also Jikany Nuer, for food and some shelter in the rainy camp, but they do not have medicine.

An official working with the International Organization for Migration in Tergol Refugee Transit Camp, who wanted to remain anonymous, confirmed that his organization and others including UNHCR do not provide assistance to refugees at the transit camp until they are transfered to the permanent Jewe Camp in Central Gambella.

He said the delay in relocating the refugees is due to a policy which states that refugees must reach a certain number before they can be sent as a group by boats to the permanent site.

There are so far more than 150 refugee households still living in the Tergol Transit Camp.

Radio Tamazuj Photo: Refugees living at an unfinished bulding in Tergol Transit Camp