The Director of the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP) Calls for Humanitarian Aid to Tombura IDP's

The Director of the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP) Calls for Humanitarian Aid to Tombura IDP's
By Baraka John  

The director of the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP) has called for urgent humanitarian support to thousands of displaced populations sheltering at the UNMISS compound in Tombura County, as a fresh wave of inter-communal violence broke in Tombura County.  

Fr. Charles Mbikoyo, said the renewed violent conflict has displaced the community of Tombura to neighboring areas including Source-Yubu and Ezo County stressing the displaced are exposed to a high risk of famine, and sicknesses due to poor hygiene of the places where they took refuge.

“Just some two weeks ago people have found themselves back in the same situation of inter-communal violence, atrocities, and killings. So, this situation has forced the population in Tombura to flee to the UNMISS compound for protection”, Fr. Mbikoyo stated.

He added that the renewed violence has seen people on the outskirts of Tombura being killed and kidnapped, which has forced them to desert their homes.

“Now there is a humanitarian crisis in Tombura, all the IDPs who have gathered at the UNMISS compound are facing a humanitarian crisis, they don’t have water, no food, no sanitary facilities and this is an alarming situation which will cause health problems. About five thousand people have gathered at the UNMISS compound seeking protection”.

Fr. Mbikoyo is appealing to humanitarian partners to quickly intervene and rescue the situation. He said there is a need to exert more effort to conduct peace-building programs to reconcile the divided communities.

Natalia Ugudi one of those sheltering at the UNMISS compound narrated to Anisa radio that the gunshots have stopped but cases of disappearance are on the rise, noting that whoever leaves the UNMISS site cannot return.

“Gunshots have gone silent, but there are reports of people disappearing for good when they leave the site with the aim to look for food for their families”.

Natalia said the IDPs are lacking food, water, and shelter at the site, citing that the people at the site feed on mangos to survive, as they cannot afford to go to their homes to collect food.

Another displaced Mr. Nafuoni Peter who has been living at the UNMISS compound since the first outbreak of the violence in 2021, doubts whether the deployed forces SSPDF will quell the situation in Tombura County, citing in the past forces were also deployed in different situations but no impact was realized.  

This morning the division six commander of SSPDF conducted a rally at Tombura Freedom Square to address the community there on the mission of the force in Tombura.

Anisa FM associate in Tombura reported that the division commander told the IDPs at the UNMISS site to go back to their homes noting that the deployed forces are on standby to offer protection.