19 August 2015 - UNMISS and humanitarian partners in Malakal, Upper Nile State, have begun relocating more than 10,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs) to a contingency area at its base.

The IDPs, mostly from Panyikang, Fashoda, and Makal counties in Upper Nile, are currently living in irregular shelters with poor hygiene and water shortages.

The exercise began on 18 August and is expected to conclude by mid-September, according to Kenneth Rogers, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) sub office in Malakal.

“So far, we have moved more than 250 IDPs, but our plan is to move 1,000 daily,” said Mr. Rogers.

He said UNMISS and humanitarian partners were working round the clock to speed up construction work. More than 40 shelters, each set to accommodate more than 50 people, had been set up.

But the OCHA official added that lack of resources and bad weather could hamper the pace of construction.

New arrival Nabila Anthony said living conditions in the contingency area were much better than where they previously lived.

“Here we have toilets, there is water and the tents are clean and specious,” Ms. Anthony said. “We thank UNMISS and humanitarian partners for saving us from … diseases.”

Another new arrival, Pasqualo Pakwan Yor, also praised with the new living area. “This place is nice, but we appeal to the UN to open schools for us. We need to study.”

The recent influx of IDPs is due to food insecurity and ongoing crisis in Upper Nile State.