Hundreds of South Sudanese returnees are stranded in various waiting camps in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, waiting for support from humanitarian organisations and the South Sudanese government.

One of their representatives told Radio Tamazuj from el-Haj Yousif camp in Khartoum that the returnees feel threatened by the deteriorating humanitarian situation as well as harassment by local security personnel.

Umol Dengo, one of stranded returnees, said that they are living under very harsh conditions amid an absence of humanitarian support, particularly in el-Haj Yousif, Wad Al-Bashir and Kalakala camps in Khartoum.

He added that since the declaration of the independence of South Sudan, hundreds of Southerners have lost their jobs in Khartoum and have been gathering in the open spaces waiting for repatriation.

Umol pointed to the spread of various diseases among children and mothers living in such conditions as well as insecurity caused in part by the continued encroachment of police and security forces on the vulnerable communities.

Residents have attributed the worsening of this situation to the halt of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) repatriation process and urged that they and the South Sudanese government help them return to South Sudan.