Sudan’s Blue Nile herders move away over water, land shortage

People in Blue Nile State have suffered from a scarcity of health, water, and education services that has caused a number of herdsmen to return to South Sudan in search of pasture and water.

A resident of Goli in El Tadamon locality told Radio Dabanga about the suffering in the area. The scarcity of water and pasture led herders to return with their cattle to South Sudan.

Goli accommodates about 1,500 people but lacks a health centre, medical specialists, and medicine supplies, people said.

“We use a reservoir to access drinking water,” the resident said. “But we suffer from insecurity, too, especially on the pasture in the border areas with South Sudan.” People with livestock are reportedly subject to attacks and robberies by gunmen.

“Armed groups from South Sudan stationed near the border harass the local population continuously.”

The humanitarian situation in Blue Nile is dire because of ongoing armed conflict between government and rebel forces, and the deteriorated situation in the neighbouring South Sudan. In January, the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) says it has not rejected a US initiative for the provision of humanitarian aid to the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.