MehejekChief Leone Oriho Obiala/Photo by Awan Moses 

Severe hunger has forced an unspecified number of people to leave the Imehejek Payam of Eastern Equatoria State, according to the paramount Chief of the Lopit Community.

Chief Leone Oriho Obiala says most of the locals in Arilo, Longiro, and Imehejek Payams fled to Juba.

He says the natives failed to cultivate this year due to a long drought.  Oriho calls on the government to provide food aid to the displaced.

“The Lopit community in Juba told me that Chief you are not going back, people walking from Lopit village others were going to Mogiri, Torit, and Juba others also died on the way,” said Leone told Eye Radio.

“When I left the village 33 people died and when I came to Juba on 31 August 13 people died that is why I said I must report this that my people in the village are dying of hunger,” he said.

“My village has the biggest population in Eastern Equatoria I call on the government to help my people those who left the village are more than a thousand and many are here in Juba.”

For his part, the chairperson of Lopit Youth Benjamin Hart says the population that left the state for Juba are at Jebel Kujur, Don Bosco, and Jebel Lemo.

“These people are in Jebel Kujur you can find them there, Don Bosco camp, within Gumbo and Jebel Lemon these people are all located there and they have nothing there is no help that reached them,” he said.

“They are coming to Juba not that they are told there is food in Juba but they are in search of food but now they found the situation is very hard here in Juba.”

Last Week, the commissioner of Kapoeta North reported thousands of people had abandoned the county due to starvation.