IDPs Suffer In Fashoda, Upper Nile State

28 July 2010 - (Juba) – More than 21 thousand people have been displaced in Upper Nile state following clashes between disgruntled former SPLA soldiers and active SPLA soldiers.

Speaking to SRS on Wednesday from Juba, South Sudan Legislative Assembly member for Fashoda county Onyot Adik described the latest situation of the internally displaced persons.

[Onyot Adik]: The displaced are now located in three areas, the bigger number comes to towns like Lul, Malakal and Fashoda. Over one thousand people arrived in Malakal and the problem they are now facing the problem of housing which have been burnt and only food items are available which I think is not enough. They also need mosquito nets and the most important things needed are the tents because almost 50 villages have been burnt down and even those with houses also need tents in places where they are located now.”

He denied claims that the people of Fashoda county are displaced by local militia. He appealed to the Government of Southern Sudan to intervene by settling the issue and bringing peace and stability to the region.

[Onyot Adik]: "Now the government claims that the area is having militia which is not true, the problem comes from the ex-SPLA who were left without pay or any assignment or deployed to any barracks. So these are the people they call unconfirmed soldiers and yet, you cannot leave somebody unconfirmed after twenty years of fighting in the war. So that is the root cause of all these problems.”

That was southern Sudan Member of Parliament representing Fashoda speaking to SRS on Wednesday from Juba.