Aid Agency Relocate Staffs From Renk To Juba As Fighting Rages

This article was last updated on May 27, 2022

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Medair, an International Humanitarian Aid Agency for Emergency, Relief and Rehabilitation has yesterday relocated its staffs from Renk County of Upper Nile State in the wake of the on-going resumption of violence in the area.

Medair South Sudan Communication Officer, Ms. Wendy Van Amerongen, told Gurtong that the organization relocated its staffs from Renk to Juba on September 23rd and 24th 2014 for their own safety.

Wendy said that fighting started and intensified in Renk since last Thursday and that the needs of the people have immensely increased, as they have been further displaced.

“Our team has been operating amidst the fighting. But as heavy fighting, such as shelling, continued and was putting the lives of our staff at risk, Medair reduced their staff in Renk yesterday,” she said.

The Medair spokesperson said that the staffs were relocated with the help of Mission Aviation Fellowship, who send in their charter aircraft.

Wendy told Gurtong that, “since Thursday, September 18th our team heard heavy shelling and gunfire and saw people fleeing in different directions. It worries us to see the people we are helping having to run yet again, leaving behind what they just built up and flee for their lives again”.

The spokesperson said that they have now completed the relocation of staffs from Renk to Juba.
 
“Medair,” she said, “remains committed to helping the most vulnerable and will continue to support the people of South Sudan when and wherever it is possible… This conflict and insecurity is leading to the restriction of access for live saving humanitarian aid to thousands of beneficiaries who need our support” 

“Despite the fact that we still try to operate our services and despite Medair’s long standing experience and knowledge of South Sudan, access to beneficiaries is becoming increasingly insecure as the situation becomes more volatile,” she said.