Duol Kun Thian, Nasir County Commissioner [with stick] during peace tour in Wanding Payam of Nasir, December 27, 2021 - credit | Duol Kun Thain Facebook

At least 50,000 refugees have voluntarily returned home from Gambella refugee camp in Ethiopia since December last year, Nasir County Commissioner has said.

Duol Kun Thian says the influx of returnees comes after the County realized relative calm.

He said the returnees are now faced with numerous challenges that include inadequate access to healthcare, food and clean drinking water.

Kun revealed that there are only six boreholes providing clean water to over 60 thousand residents of the town.

Speaking to Eye Radio from Nasir on Wednesday, Kun called on the national government and humanitarian organizations to intervene.

“The security is very calm in all the Payams, returnees are coming in big numbers. So at the moment we have around 50,000 coming from Gambella region. They started coming from December up to now,” Kun said.

“We don’t know how many will come between this month and next month. So the population now is getting big but all humanitarian needs are missing including medication because if you go to the hospital now the shelves are empty.

“The only primary health care in town is not enough for the population like this. So as you know the flood has destroyed all the crops, it is very hard now to make a living.”

Since 2018, Nasir County has been rocked by conflicts and floods that have displaced thousands to neighboring Ethiopia’s Gambella region.