UNHCR’s Press Briefing on Sudanese Refugees in South Sudan

Bunj, 11 June 2012  – Over the weekend, UNHCR and humanitarian
partners moved 8,000 refugees from Hofra to Kilo 18, amid reports that
up to 15,000 new arrivals could enter Upper Nile state in the coming
days.“The move was necessitated by the rapid deterioration of living
conditions in Hofra.” said UNHCR’s Fred Cussigh, in Maban county,
Upper Nile. “The risk factors for the population of over 30,000
refugees became amplified as the supply of potable water in Hofra
dwindled.”Last week MSF reported seven deaths in Hofra, which is located some
25km from the border with Sudan. Cussigh said, “The deaths are linked
to the poor state of refugees arriving from Blue Nile state. They are
generally exhausted, hungry and dehydrated from long journeys on foot
with little or nothing to eat or drink.”

Hofra (also known as Rum) was designated as a transit site two weeks
ago, following the recent surge in numbers of new arrivals, while
agencies continued efforts to address critical water gaps.

Cussigh confirms that agencies had been searching alternative sites as
the water supply in Hofra declined. “Kilo 18 has the biggest haffir
(man-made dam) between the Elfoj border entry point and Jammam refugee
settlement, with sufficient water to last up to two weeks.” He added
that the proximity of Kilo 18 to Hofra will allow all refugees to
relocate by Tuesday. They will then be transported to a more durable
site in Yusuf Batil.

The weekend emergency relocation operation began after food had been
distributed to all 32,000 refugees in Hofra. MSF moved its water
treatment facility and field medical centre from Hofra to Kilo 18 and is
maintaining a 24 hour presence. UNHCR airlifted high energy biscuits and
soap from Malakal and provided trucks as well as tractors with trailers
to transport the refugees. ACTED, the camp management NGO, constructed
emergency shelters for the most vulnerable. Sixty units were erected on
Saturday; and construction is continuing.

Meanwhile, Cussigh announced a breakthrough in the efforts to drill for
water in Yusuf Batil. “We expect to start moving from Kilo 18. Two
recently drilled boreholes in Yusuf Batil have produced a promising
yield of water,” he said.

According to Cussigh, the first borehole is producing 7.5 cubic metres
of water per hour. The second one is expected to produce the same
quantity. The combined volume of water could sustain a population of
20,000. However, mandatory testing is required, to ensure that the
volume of flow from these sources is sustainable.  Testing for the
second borehole will be completed in a few days. Drilling of additional
boreholes in Yusuf Batil is ongoing with the objective that all 32,000
refugees who were in Hofra will be accommodated in Yusuf Batil.

Yusuf Batil is the newest of three refugee settlements in Upper Nile
state. Currently Yusuf Batil has a population of 5,250 refugees who rely
on a combination of pumped and trucked water. The other settlement,
Doro, is filled to capacity while Jammam has been plagued by inadequate
water supply as refugee numbers multiplied. Yusuf-Batil was established
in May, initially to ease pressures on water in Jammam. However, with
the surge in new arrivals in late May, relocation from border areas
became the priority and the move from Jammam was temporarily suspended.

UNHCR has initiated contact with South Sudanese authorities and local
communities for additional refugee sites outside of Maban county. A site
in Melut County where water would be sourced from the Nile is being
undertaken for the Jammam relocation, which will resume immediately.

South Sudan is currently hosting over 150,000 refugees from Sudan. Over
105,000 of these are in Upper Nile state, while a further 47,000 are in
settlements further west in Unity state. Unconfirmed reports indicate
that up 15,000 new arrivals could enter Upper Nile state shortly.

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