The government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state (NBGS) has announced plans to transport approximately 2,000 of its citizens currently stranded in Abyei Administrative Area.
Displaced by the ongoing violence and instability in neighboring Sudan, the returnees are enduring unbearable living conditions in Abyei, a contested region with its own history of conflict and displacement.
This dire situation, according to Mr. Garang Makuei, assistant press secretary for the Northern Bahr El Ghazal state Governor’s office, prompted the state government to facilitate their return home.
Speaking to Standard Zone news over the weekend, Mr. Makuei stated that the state government is implementing necessary measures to aid their movement to Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBG).
“Governor Simon Ober held a meeting with the chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) to conduct an assessment to determine the people living there based on the counties. So that when they are transported, they will be taken to their places,” Makuei said.
He added that once the assessment is complete, the government’s priority will be to transport vulnerable individuals to their respective counties.
“Vulnerable people will be taken first, and the rest will be transported in the next trips. The government is working hard to transport the stranded returnees living in the Abyei administrative area,” he added.
The state government’s response follows an appeal by Abraham Ariath Piol, chairman of Aweil community residing in Abyei, who stated that over 2,000 returnees originally from Northern Bahr el Ghazal state are stranded in Abyei and facing a critical humanitarian situation requiring urgent government attention.
Mr. Piol appealed to the state government for a swift response, expressing concern that the situation could worsen as returnees have resorted to drinking stagnant water.
He added that more returnees are arriving from Sudan due to the ongoing conflict
The civil war in Sudan, which began in mid-April 2023, has significantly impacted both Sudanese and South Sudanese populations, resulting in widespread displacement, both within Sudan and across its borders, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
Two years into the war, South Sudan, sharing a border with Sudan, continues to receive a large influx of refugees and South Sudanese citizens returning to their home country.
According to the United Nations, nearly 12.5 million people have been forced from their homes, including over 3.3 million who have fled across borders in search of safety.
The UN report further stated that over one million people have arrived in South Sudan, with nearly 2,000 arriving daily as of January this year.
Despite regional and international efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, the warring factions have shown no signs of backing down.
