7,000 IDPs Stranded In Sudan’s Way Stations

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

7,000 South Sudanese Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) are stranded and are in deplorable conditions in way stations and camps in Khartoum a report presented last Monday to the South Sudan National Assembly says.

7,000 South Sudanese Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) are stranded and are in deplorable conditions in way stations and camps in Khartoum a report presented last Monday to the South Sudan National Assembly says.

The Parliamentary Committee of Gender, Social Welfare, Religious Affairs and Youth and Sports travelled to assess the situation of the IDPs in the way stations of Kosti in Khartoum and camps in Renk, Unity State.

In the Committee report presented by Hon. Debora Ajok in the August House, it presented challenges that culminated into a number of resolutions raised by MPs.

The report indicated that, IDPs lack necessary basic services such as health, food and shelter. Few Non Governmental Organizations, (NGOs) are being involved in addressing the challenges hence inadequate service provision.

“The transit camp opened in Kosti was for a capacity of 2,500 IDPs only. However, at the moment the number has tremendously increased to 7, 000,” Debora explained in the report.

Timely payment of transporting companies by the responsible institutions of the Government of South Sudan has affected the quick transportation of the IDPs from the transit camps, she added.

The report explained that, Logistic Sudan Limited demands unpaid money of 9,000,000 South Sudan Pound from the government.

IDPs Luggage in transit camps in Kosti and Hi Jusif are subjected to taxation and IDPS also experience harassment by security agents during night hours. The report further indicates that, a number of 75 IDPs in the transit camps have been imprisoned after arrest by security agents.

Parliamentarians yesterday expressed concerns over the matter and resolved to a number of solutions to address the case. They demanded the concerned government institutions; the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, (SSRRC) to urgently address the transportation of the IDPs.

They also demanded that the South Sudan Auditor General to carry out an audit report of the 60 million South Sudanese Pounds that was allocated for the repatriation of IDPs last year by the National Council of Ministers to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the 33 million allocated by the President.

The parliament has also resolved to summon the incumbent Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the former Minister to answer questions on action plans to repatriate the IDPs.