South Sudanese Catholic Diocese Appeals for Help to Support Returnees from War-Torn Sudan

The returnees also need shelter, Bishop Majwok said, and explained, “It rained here two days ago and it was very cold. I wondered how those people out in the open were managing when I could feel how cold it was even though I was in the house. I felt sorry for them and I couldn’t sleep because I knew there were children, elderly people, pregnant women and even newborn babies out there in the cold.”

The Diocese of Malakal has distinguished itself for providing first response to the South Sudanese and Sudanese people fleeing the violence that has reportedly left 234 people in Sudan’s capital Khartoum dead. Those dead are likely to be double this official figure, according to a Reuters report.

“Our Diocese, through our humanitarian coordinator, was the first to respond in the transportation of the people when the conflict erupted in Sudan on 15 April by sending a boat to bring the returnees from Renk (a county in Upper Nile State) to Malakal,” Bishop Majwok said.

 “Caritas office is also providing food and non-food items to the new arrivals in response to their needs,” the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop said.

The 50-year-old Church leader also appealed to the Government and humanitarian organizations to continue supporting the returnees in providing the much-needed assistance to them. 

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Renk is an important hub of trade with Sudan using river transport. When Sudan's war erupted, those who fled the war arrived at Renk before their safe evacuation to various parts of the country. Most of the returnees were ferried using boats while others were flown to other places using chartered planes paid for by authorities in respective States.

Kerbino Kuel Deng is a South Sudanese journalist who is passionate about Church communication. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.