2,000 Upper Nile refugees in Sudan’s Abu Jubeiha

More than 2,000 households have been driven by conflict in parts of South Sudan’s Upper Nile state into Abu Jubeiha locality in South Kordofan.The Sudanese locality lies in the eastern Nuba Mountains, bordering the Shilluk territory of western Upper Nile, which has seen clashes between South Sudan’s army (SPLA) and defectors from various organised forces.Abu Jubeiha locality Commissioner Babiker Mohamed Sharif stated that about 2,000 South Sudanese already arrived in Jadid, Abu Nawara Garida and Megenis areas. In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, the commissioner said the refugees have been given food and other humanitarian assistance by the organisations operating in the area.The new arrivals would be treated as Sudanese nationals, not as refugees, according to the commissioner. “We have shared good social relations with South Sudanese, particularly the communities along the border”, he emphasised.Commissioner of Manyo County El Tayib Ajak estimated last week that about 1,000 residents had sought refuge in Abu Jubeiha.On Sunday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found that an estimated 490,600 people have been displaced within South Sudan while another 83,900 crossed into neighboring countries, putting the figure for total displacement at 574,500 people. “The total number of people displaced is likely higher, as aid agencies have very limited information about displacement outside main population centres”, the UN coordination agency stated.(Source: Radio Tamazuj)File photo: A group of refugees in Jamam, South Sudan (UNHCR)Related: BREAKING: Kiir and Machar agree to ceasefire in South Sudan (18 January 2014)