As Sudan’s conflict rages, MAF supports refugees fleeing to South Sudan

Renk in South Sudan has registered over 84,000 refugees (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

On 30 May, MAF flew head of ‘Concern South Sudan’ Dr Paul Gal Atem and partners to Renk – South Sudan’s northern border town – to assess the needs of thousands of refugees fleeing from neighbouring Sudan. Paul shares the latest with MAF’s Jenny Davies

Thanks to MAF, Dr Paul Gal Atem from Concern South Sudan and a team from ‘The Citizens’ Call for the Emergency Evacuation and Reception of South Sudanese Trapped in Sudan’s War’ have been able to assess the humanitarian situation in Renk.

MAF flies Concern SS & The Citizens’ Call to Renk (Credit: Jenny Davies)

This northern border town in South Sudan has a transit refugee centre – with associated camps – which have registered over 84,000 refugees from Sudan since the conflict erupted on 15 April (source: UNHCR).

According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, more than 1.4 million people have been displaced within Sudan. Another 476,800 have fled to neighbouring countries including South Sudan, which has welcomed more than 110,000 refugees.

74% of these refugees entering South Sudan have been registered in Renk. On 27 April, Renk alone registered 3,712 people. Ever since, at least 1,000 refugees have been entering the town nearly every day.

At least 1,000 refugees enter Renk Transit Camp most days (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

‘Women and children are in dire need of support’

In response, South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RCC) asked Concern and The Citizens’ Call to conduct a survey – in partnership with MAF – about the needs of refugees in Renk.

MAF’s flight from South Sudan’s capital Juba to Renk took three hours saving the team several days by road.

MAF’s 3-hour flight saved the team days of road travel (Credit: David Pearce)

Paul explains that over 90% of the refugees from Sudan’s conflict are in fact South Sudanese. They fled previous conflicts in their home country and escaped to Sudan to make a new life for themselves. Little did they know, they would be forced to return to South Sudan as a result of fresh fighting:

‘Some were studying, some were living there so their children could go to school, others were there for the medical reasons. When the conflict started, it did not differentiate of course – now everyone has to escape the danger.’

Refugees are using bedsheets to keep the sun out (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

Paul and his team are focused on the needs of these South Sudanese returnees particularly women and children:

‘The majority of refugees are women and children. They are staying in a very dry, open place where there are few trees – everything is barren.

‘There are no toilets, basic services or proper shelter. Some have been given tents, which are not enough. Others have missed out on tents or plastic sheets and are sitting in the sun using bedsheets to cover their heads from the heat. They are in dire need of support.’

Dr Paul Gal Atem, Director of Concern South Sudan

Services do not meet the demand

Concern SS have distributed 1,000 plastic sheets to refugees to keep out the rain      (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

Sadly, refugees are arriving in Renk faster than the services can cope with says Paul:

‘People were not expected to arrive in such high numbers and what is given is not enough, so we’ve been giving them some plastic sheets to cover themselves from the rain.’

Paul’s team have distributed around 1,000 plastic sheets in a bid to make up the shortfall, but kitchen facilities are also lacking:

‘We wanted to see the facilities and what they are cooking. The kitchen is very small – most of the food stuff is raw because they have grain but no mill to grind the sorghum into flour. There is no food for the younger children either – they have to eat what the adults are eating, but the food is not enough. We’ve given them some food items too.’

There is not enough food for everyone at Renk’s transit camps (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

The condition of the camps – the lack of food and water plus little protection from heat during the day and from cold during the night – have all been taking their toll on exhausted refugees recalls Paul:

‘A lady collapsed right in front of us and we had to carry her although there was no hospital to take her to. Right in front of me, another lady lost her firstborn baby who was just 22 days old. The baby passed away because she had no water in her body and her mother did not have enough milk to feed her because she had not eaten in days.’

A lady collapses, but there’s no hospital to take her to (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

For others, the nightmare began before they reached the camp explains Paul:

‘People told us that they were harassed as they were escaping from Khartoum (Sudan’s capital). Some saw girls and women being raped.’

Hope of leaving Renk

Refugees at Renk cling to the hope that they will eventually be repatriated to where they first came from, but there is a waiting list says Paul:

‘We need to get them out of Renk. The idea of bringing them to the transit centre is because they are not going to stay here. They’re only waiting there while we respond. They need the government and NGOs to help them reach their places of origin.’

But there are challenges with the wet season, road conditions and the sheer number of new arrivals, making relocation difficult. Some refugees will travel onwards by barge, but not everyone will be able to reach their final destination by boat or road continues Paul:

‘The road is very limited and the rain will make it difficult to get to by road. Where transportation by land is not possible, we want to make sure that these people are taken to their place of origin by air.’

Flying to and from Renk is a lot easier than travelling by road (Credit: David Pearce)

MAF pilot Jonathan Pound, who flew the team out to Renk, was able to relocate some of the refugees to Juba by air on his return trip:

‘The desperation on people’s faces is evident. Everyone has a heart-breaking story and I wish I could do more to help but I was thrilled to be able to relocate some women and a child back to Juba. I’m glad to be involved.’

MAF pilot Jonathan Pound has been relocating refugees back to Juba (MAF South Sudan)

‘There would be no other way to get to Renk’

After gathering as much data as possible from Renk Transit Centre, MAF flies the team back to Juba to mobilise much needed resources for the immediate future. Paul outlines the next steps:

‘We are meeting with the government and humanitarian agencies to make sure that these people are supported. We must come together as international organisations, the government, individuals and the business community to support our people.

‘With people continuing to cross the border in their hundreds, the needs are becoming more urgent by the day. People are in an appalling situation and – first and foremost – we need to respond quickly to their need as human beings.

‘We are all interlinked regardless of where we’re from. Our prayer is that people will respond so that we can support refugees at the border. I hope that their hearts will be touched when they hear these stories. Whatever you can give, no matter how small, it will help people and make a difference.’

‘We must come together to support our people’ says Dr Atem (Credit: Concern SS / RRC)

South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) who requested the survey are grateful for MAF’s support:

‘If it wasn’t for MAF, there would be no other way to get to Renk. We appreciate from the bottom of our hearts that we were assisted by MAF to go and see our people, especially those in need.’

In addition to Renk, MAF has also been flying organisations to other northern areas of South Sudan including Paloich and Malakal to support the plight of refugees.

There is currently no civilian air traffic in or out of Sudan.

MAF continues to monitor its neighbouring operations in Chad and South Sudan, which are currently flying as normal.