8 January 2014 - At least 58 civilians, mainly women and children, who fled conflict in Mundri last week arrived in the Western Equatoria State capital Yambio today.

Violence broke out on 4 January in Jambo, Mundri East County, among the Sudan People’s Liberation Army soldiers, whose wives were left scattered in the bush for three days without food or water.

The internally displaced persons (IDPs) are being cared for by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare at the Yambio Rehabilitation Centre.

Minister Zelipher Dawa Justin said the group included 30 women, most of whom are pregnant, and 28 children, with more expected to arrive soon.

She said humanitarians organizations in the state had assisted in providing food and non-food items for the displaced. “I am not working alone, but as a team with other partners in the state to give support to the IDPs.”

IDP Rebeca Ding Marial said, “We were fleeing the conflict in Yerol County going through Mundri to Juba, but were attacked on our way.”

The international medical organization Medecines sans Frontieres have a mobile clinic at the Rehabilitation Centre to treat the sick and give them first aid.

Western Equatoria Governor Col. Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro briefed the State Assembly on the country’s current situation today, urging parliamentarians to pass correct information to citizens and speak of peace.

Col. Bangasi has been preaching peace messages on the local radio station, stressing that Western Equatoria should remain a place where people can escape war. Those who wish to fight should leave the state, as the culture of the people is peace and harmony.

But ongoing conflict in the country, which broke on 15 December in Juba between pro- and anti-government forces, has affected state business. Some telephone networks have run out of cards for airtime credit and prices of certain commodities in the market have doubled.