UNHCR starts relocation of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia

19 Nov 2014

UNHCR starts relocation of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia

18 November 2014- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has begun relocating nearly 15,000 South Sudanese refugees who had been stranded for a few months at a way station in western Ethiopia after the refugee camp where they were due to live was flooded, the agency said in a statement today.

“A first group of 125 refugees left Matar Way Station on Monday and headed along the Baro River to the Itang Transit Centre, where they spent the night before resuming their journey on Tuesday by road towards Pugnido Refugee Camp, some 300 kilometres away,” the agency said.

The camp is already home to 45,000 mainly South Sudanese refugees.

The refugees had been stranded at Matar close to the border with South Sudan after heavy rains and floodwaters from the Baro River swamped the Nip Nip refugee camp, where they were originally destined to live. The floods also made access roads impassable.

To make the relocation possible, the International Organization for Migration chartered one boat for passengers and another for luggage for the maiden journey.

“The refugees were provided with water, high energy biscuits, and relief items such as blankets as they boarded the boats wearing life jackets,” the statement added.

The first group was expected to reach the camp on Tuesday, while another 29 refugees with special needs, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, the blind and older people were to be flown to Pugnido on a helicopter.

The statement described the refugees’ relief that their ordeal was coming to an end.

"I'm glad that we are leaving this place. I have never been happy here. Now I can smile again," said 26-year-old Nyapal, who arrived at Matar pregnant with her first child after fleeing the violence in South Sudan.

Valentin Tapsoba, UNHCR's recently appointed representative in Ethiopia, was present at the launch of the operation and thanked the government and people of Ethiopia for taking in the refugees and sharing their resources.

He also presented two four-wheel-drive vehicles and an ambulance to the government's Administration for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA) for the relocation.

According to the agency, more than 190,000 South Sudanese refugees have sought refuge in Ethiopia's Gambella region since conflict broke out in South Sudan in mid-December 2013.

“Some 100 refugees continue to cross into Ethiopia every day, mainly through the Burbiey border point from Jonglei and Unity states in South Sudan,” the statement said, adding that new arrivals cited food shortages and insecurity, including sporadic fighting between rival warring factions, as reasons for their flight.

Earlier this month, Ireland's President Michael Higgins has called on the international community to do much more to help tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees in western Ethiopia.

"It is quite scandalous that less than half of the amount needed to provide protection and assistance to the refugees had come from the international community,” President Higgins said on 5 November.