The chairman of the national Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Manasseh Lomole Waya - COURTESY

The government has no resources to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis that has left thousands displaced in Chollo Kingdom, the head of South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission has said.

Mannaseh Lomole Waya says his commission is lacking the resources, but they are working with international aid agencies to provide the IDPs with humanitarian assistance.

He stated that his office has received a report that over 30, 000 civilians were displaced due to the conflict in Fashoda County of Upper Nile state.

“The RRC [Relief and Rehabilitation Commission] has no resources if we have resources we would have been there, but because we don’t have resources, we have to rely entirely on UN agencies and non-governmental organizations,” said RRC Boss.

“It was yesterday [December 6, 2022] when I discussed this issue properly that the helicopter will be going to Kodok to access the situation,

“WFP promised to provide any food available to help the people on the ground that is what we are working on. we are trying to talk to every agency that is helping our people to move in and give help and save lives.”

For their part, the displaced persons who fled a series of armed attacks in Fashoda county and the neighboring areas are appealing for humanitarian assistance.

One of the latest attacks occurred November 30, 2022, at the Aburoc IDPs camp in Fashoda that was hosting reportedly 6,725 civilians.

According to authorities there, the assailants were armed militias known as the white army.

Some of the displaced persons have arrived in Kodok and Melut areas.

“What we are facing now is the issue of food and clothes people are suffering,” one of the displaced told Eye Radio.

“We were just staying in the villages, we have no idea about what is happening, they just come and attack the area, and then people run away and many of the people drown in the flood water since the day before yesterday [December 5, 2022] other people are still in the water.”

“We came yesterday [December 5, 2022] through all this flood, no boats, we were just footing in that water, now we are angry, no food, no clothes, and no shoes.”

“During the heavy shooting people were scattered, the flood was too much, some people were left in the water, elderly people and children drowned,” another unnamed displaced person said.

Joseph Aban, the Fashoda County Commissioner confirmed to Eye Radio the arrival of the IDPs.

However, he says, the displaced persons are in dire humanitarian need as they are lacking food, shelter, and medicine.

“Those who were in Aburoc managed to get out, and others are still in flood water. We are still transferring them, another reached Melut, and we are still collecting others,” said Joseph Aban.

“The general situation is very bad, people are suffering, they can’t get water and food, no shelter to stay in, the situation is too bad, they are around 30, 000 to 40, 000.”

Meanwhile, Paul Awin, the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner in Fashoda County appealed to aid organizations to expedite humanitarian assistance to the IDPs.

“The situation of the people they are suffering, the displaced people are along the riverside, inside the town and in the new POC,” Awin told Eye Radio.

“They are in a critical situation because since they arrived in Kodok there was no response has been done to them in terms of food and non-food items,

“They are suffering, children and women are suffering, it has been ten days now since the incident happened.”