The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plans to relocate Blue Nile refugees in Maban County to a new site located about 10 kilometers away from the town to avoid future conflicts with the host community, camp leaders said.
The Sudanese refugees fled fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and SPLA-N in Blue Nile since 2011.
Chief Philip Iddris, a traditional leader at Doro camp, told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that they have reached an agreement with the host community to relocate the camp to a new area located about 10 kilometers away from Maban town.
He further said a joint committee for peace and security between the two sides has already identified the new site.
Idris pointed out that the UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations are preparing the new camp before they could begin relocating the refugees.
Meanwhile, Chief Samuel Joseph, confirmed that the joint committee between the two sides has already identified the new location and that they are coordinating with the humanitarian organizations to relocate the refugees to the new camp.
For its part, the UNHCR denied any plan to relocate the Sudanese refugees to a new camp in the area, saying it plans to extend the existing camp only.
The UN refugee agency pointed out that the site was identified before fighting erupted between the Sudanese refugees and the host community in September 2016.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Richard Ruati, UNHCR External Relations Officer in South Sudan, said the organization and other partners want to extend the camp. He pointed out that they are planning to transport the refugees from Doro and Yusuf Batil camps to the new site.
Photo: Refugees carrying relief packages, Upper Nile State, August 2012/UNHCR