The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered food to about nine -thousand internally displaced persons in Lainya County.

George Fominyen, WFP communications officer, told Radio Miraya that the UN agency worked with the logistics team, colleagues from other agencies and the specialized rapid response team to deliver parcels of food assistance to IDPs in Logwiri and Luka West of Lainya County. The food parcels include cereals and pulses. The WFP hopes that the food will be able to last at least thirty days.

Insecurity in Lainya County, of the Central Equatoria region, has forced hundreds of households to abandon their homes and either seek refuge in neighboring countries or hide in the bush.

Fominyen said the WFP is troubled by the many people who are probably still in hiding and cannot be reached with the much needed food assistance. “That is one of our major areas of concern, yes we were able to assist 9 thousand people, but then there are many more people who are currently living in places that are far off, in the bushes and who would need a lot of support.”

According to the WFP, there is need to ease access, so that UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations can deliver relief to more people.  “We are quite concerned about those we are not able to reach and want to reach them,” said Fominyen. “Allow us to reach people where they feel comfortable and safe to receive assistance,” Forminyen made a plea to the parties in charge of granting access.

WFP wants to make regular food aid deliveries as long as access is granted in order for humanitarian agencies to begin to preposition food as the dry season sets in.

“The bigger picture is that we would need even more understanding from everyone involved that WFP and other humanitarian partners and actors are humanitarians who need to assist these people many of who have been without food for months,” Fominyen clarified. “What is essential is what the people need, it is the fact that we want to assist the people,” he added.