Over 1,000 refugees enter Uganda daily - Red Cross

By Francis Emorut                                         

More than 3,000 Sudanese refugees have over the last three days entered into Uganda according to an official of the Uganda Red Cross Society.

This brings the total of Sudanese refugees to over 70,000 since tensions flared on December 15, 2013, in South Sudan following an uprising among military officers in support and against president Salva Kir.

“The situation is still precarious and we continue to receive refugees on a daily basis,” Stephen Alatawa the operations manager of Uganda Red Cross Society, based in Adjumani district, said.

The refugees crossed into Uganda through Nimule and Elegu border points.

The deputy commandant of Ayilo refugee camp, Johnson Okot, said the camp was congested and yet they continued to receive more refugees.

The new refugees have, however, been relocated to Mungula new refugee site camp in Adjumani district.

Humanitarian agencies like the United National High Commission for Refugees, Uganda Red Cross Society, the World Food Programme and Oxfam among others are providing interventions to mitigate the effects of overcrowding in refugee camps in Adjumani. 

According to the Uganda Red Cross Society 90% of the refugees are Dinkas and 60% of them are children.

Other refugees have been resettled at Ayilo resettlement camp.

The Uganda Red Cross Society has installed piped water using new technology with the help of the Germany Red Cross and the Red Cross of Norway.

The agencies are also providing psychosocial support to traumatised refugees.