Africa-Press – South-Sudan. About 2,500 South Sudanese from refugee camps in Sudan’s White Nile State arrived in Manyo County, Upper Nile State on Sunday.
The transportation of South Sudanese refugees constituting a fraction of more to come – from the War-tone Sudan to the Upper Nile State was facilitated by the Church leaders with support from the Chollo community.
The returnees who were from Jore, Kashafa, Radif 1 & 2, Khor Warral, Um Sangur, Jamena, Halifa and Jebel Redis, arrived on Sunday in Wadokona after five days of traveling by buses.
They had complained of being blockaded in displaced persons camps with insufficient humanitarian aid in recent months of intense fighting between warring factions in Sudan’s White Nile State.
Over the past months, Chollo leaders convened a meeting and initiated fundraising for the facilitation of the returnees to Upper Nile state.
According to the representative of the Collo chiefdom in Equatoria region, the initiative was targeting the return of ten thousand South Sudanese from Sudan.
Ibrahim Ajageng Ajalong said: ” The initiative came from members of the community in the country, and abroad to support the repatriation, and the initiative will continue to raise funds.
“ We thank God we have received the first group of returnees from the war in Sudan, who were residing in refugee camps on the White Nile today in the city of Wadakona.
“About 2,500 returnees arrived in 41 trucks, and we have provided them with some assistance, but we hope that humanitarian organizations will intervene and provide assistance.
Speaking to Eye Radio from Wadokon, some of the returnees recounted a cumbersome journey amid insecurity along the way.
“We started five days ago, and suffered some difficulties on the way including harrasment from the security authorities in Sudan, refusing our return,” said Bol Lual, one of the returnees.
Another returnee Rejena Adwok said despite the hurdles, she is happy to be back home.
“We thank God that despite the challenges, we have reached our country. We had faced some difficulties such as lack of drinking water and shelter (in the camps) and along the way.”
Meanwhile, Yohannes Ayuol said, “Everyone was in a hurry and eager to return to the country.”
As they arrived during a rainy season, thousands of them now sheltering in the schools and churches in the border cities.
The returnees are now appealing to humanitarian organizations to come to their aid as they returned home without food, and are lacking medicines and shelter.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
