South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
International charity Oxfam said it is deeply concerned that humanitarian response at the South Sudan border town of Renk may be overwhelmed, if funding is not availed to cater for new surge in daily arrival of close to 3,000 people fleeing fighting.
“Since the last weeks of October, we have seen a new record surge in arrivals. We are talking of nearly 3,000 people arriving daily into Renk, which means more than 17,000 people every week, as compared to not more than 10,000 people travelling further South in the same period,” Dr. Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam in South Sudan Country Director said in a statement issued in Juba on Monday.
Dr Manenji said that with overcrowding at the transit centre, sanitation levels have continued to deteriorate.
“We are worried that there is a risk of potential outbreak of water borne diseases and obviously ground for easy spread of any contagious diseases that are rarely detected due to insufficient health screening processes on arrival”.
Dr Manenji added that Oxfam together with other aid agencies has been supporting returnees and refugee arrivals with water and sanitation services, alongside a host of protection related interventions.
“While we do so, we are mindful of the need for dignified resettlement to a more permanent location, away from the overcrowded transit camp. This will ensure dignified living spaces, enough for sanitation services and other mitigation of any concerns that arise out of such communal living that now occurs within the transit center”.
“We note with sadness the significant scale up in fighting across the border, and with this, we are concerned, as we see a rise in number of arrivals in South Sudan. We call upon the donors to consider the plight of the women and children who brave the torrential rains in the open spaces, who have no reason to suffer while a negotiated settlement is being sought. The conflict has displaced over 5.8 million people both within Sudan and neighboring countries, increasing the demand for humanitarian aid,” Dr Manenji said.
Since fighting broke out in Sudan, over 350,000 people have arrived into South Sudan, and these people need humanitarian assistance now, mindful that, humanitarian assistance delayed is assistance denied, our collective action is needed.
