UNHCR urges Juba to stem flow of civilians from South Sudan

June 17, 2017 (JUBA) – The head of High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, Saturday called on the South Sudanese leadership to work for peace and provide protection to civilians who continue to flow the country.

UN agencies say the fighting and food insecurity in the country continue to push civilians from the conflict affected areas to flee the country. Also, they point that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has reached 2 million persons.

Grandi made his call during a visit to the Protection of Civilians 3 camp outside the UN House in Juba which hosts 38,833 IDPs.

UNHCR chief further told reporters in Juba that the international community had become frustrated with the way peace was moving, adding that this was the time when aid needed to be increased.

However, he said that South Sudanese refugees should not be ignored because they are not visible on the shores of Europe or Australia, or at the border of Mexico and the United States.

South Sudan’s conflict, which broke out at the end of 2013, has claimed thousands of lives and driven well over a million of people from their homes, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

(ST)