OCHA Sudan bulletin 42: Over 250,000 South Sudanese refugees in Sudan

As of 15 October, the number of registered South Sudanese who sought refuge in Sudan since December 2013, now exceeds a quarter of a million. Inter-agency return monitoring missions led by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), visited a number of locations in North Darfur. The water supply for the Jebel Marra displaced in Sortony has been increased.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in its latest bulletin that the number of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan stands at 254,757 people (including 90,000 who arrived this year). According to UNHCR about 40 per cent of South Sudanese arrivals are hosted in White Nile State, and 22 per cent in East Darfur.

On 8 October, a rapid inter-agency mission comprising UN agencies, international NGOs and line ministries visited El Ferdous in East Darfur to assess the needs of about 5,300 South Sudanese refugees. According to the mission, the priority needs of the refugees in El Ferdous include access to safe water, sanitation, health and nutrition services.

Refugees are provided with medical services at the El Ferdous clinic but the number of patients are putting a strain on resources. Common diseases reported are skin and eye infections, diarrhoeal infection, respiratory infections, suspected cases of measles, and malaria. According to reports received, about 20 elderly and 26 refugee children under the age of five have died mainly as a result of malaria and diarrhoea, the OCHA bulletin reads.

As a result of the aforementioned situation in El Ferdous and El Nimir camp, $2.6 million from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) will be allocated in the coming weeks to support South Sudanese refugees currently residing in El Ferdous.

Inter-agency missions visit return locations in North Darfur

UNHCR-led inter-agency return monitoring missions visited a number of locations in Um Baru and El Tina localities in North Darfur to sensitise local communities about the planned returnee registration and verification process scheduled from 19 October to 15 November.

Community leaders have reported the return of an estimated 60,000 people, primarily from Chad, most of whom returned in 2014 and 2015.

According to preliminary findings of the mission, returnees said they aim to stay permanently in their villages of origin in Sudan for the following reasons: improvement of security, challenges in education due to the curriculum in Chad (the language was changed from Arabic to French), lack of livelihood opportunities, shortage of food and restriction of movement in refugee camps in Chad.

Water supply for Jebel Marra displaced in Sortony increases

Over the past week, the Governmental Water and Environmental Sanitation Department (WES) supported by the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) and Oxfam America provided 1,244,000 litres of water to 21,500 displaced from Jebel Marra in North Darfur’s Sortony.

The total amount of water available reached 1,454,000 litres over the past week. This makes the current daily water supply level in Sortony 9.7 litres per person.

In North Darfur there are 52,912 verified displaced from the Jebel Marra area where conflict ignited in January this year: 21,536 in Sortony, 25,283 in Tawila, 2,909 in Kabkabiya town, and 3,184 in Shadad camp.