Internal Displaced Persons from Rii-randu are getting assistance in Yambio

August 13, 2016 (KAMPALA) – Over nine thousands Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled their homes in Rii-rangu, Yambio County in fear of their lives from the fighting between the armed group and SPLA last June, are now getting humanitarian assistance which includes food and non-food items from World Food Program (WFP) in Yambio.

Speaking to Sudan tribune, the State Director of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) Joseph Salvatore said, the IDPs and farmers of Rii-rangu area are getting humanitarian assistance after deserting their homes following the violence in June this year. The CFP provides food and RRC Office together with other non-governmental organizations are engaged in the distribution.

“We are distributing humanitarian assistance to over nine thousands IDPs who fled their homes in Rii-rangu to Yambio in fear of their lives,” he said.

Salvatore stated that the distribution had been delayed because the NGOs have to do verification first to know the exact number of the displaced before the distribution of food and non-food. Also,the instability in the area prevented them from visiting some areas where the IDPs are residing.

He refuted the allegation that the acting governor that time who was the Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement pressured and addressed them an ultimatum of seven days to distribute the items to the needy or else the government may give an order to distribute it. He added that aid groups don’t work under pressure from anyone because they have to mobilize the resources and again do assessments to allow them do their work efficiently.

Salvatore further underlined that the WFP is transporting the humanitarian items now to Yambio only by air because all roads connecting the Western Equatoria are closed and that insecurity and armed looting on roads also prevent that.

A farmer in the area, Mr. TartizioWandu, told Sudan Tribune that all what he planted in his farm in Rii-rangu had been looted during the conflict, and he could not go to the area to harvest or collect anything from the garden.

“All what I planted in Rii-rangu has been looted and destroyed by unknown people and it was not safe to go there and collect some of it. I am afraid my family this year will face hunger as they have nothing to eat.”

An IDP, Samson Mangu, says, he is happy to receive food after many months enduring hunger with his family as they fled their homes without food or cloths. He urged the government and armed groups to stop fighting as they could go back to their homes and live in peace.

“I am calling upon the government and armed groups to stop war, we need peace.”

Rii-rangu is one of the areas affected by the fighting between the government forces and SPLA-IO elements.

(ST)