The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) is set to begin distributing 37 containers of rice donated by China to internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and other vulnerable communities across the country.
RRC Deputy Chairperson Makuch Makuch said the consignment
has already arrived and officials conducted a site visit to assess the supplies
ahead of the official launch of the distribution.
“This first consignment contains 37 containers full of rice.
Tomorrow, the distribution will be launched by the minister and the chairperson
of the RRC. The target people are IDPs, returnees, plus vulnerable people in
the states and administrative areas so that they help our needy people there,”
Makuch said.
He described the humanitarian situation facing displaced
people as critical and called on partners to increase support.
“The IDPs are in a very bad humanitarian situation. They are
suffering. And we hope this one, although it is a very small bag of help, we
encourage other international NGOs, UN agencies, to give their hands,” he said.
Makuch said displaced people in several areas, including
Abyei and Ruweng Administrative Area, continue to face severe hardship as
humanitarian assistance declines.
“Especially to displace people in war. The Ruweng
administrative area, Abiemnom. In Abyei, because the influx of the same IDPs to
Abyei, to Warrap, and to Western Bahr Algazal, some of them, like 2,500
households throughout town, these people need assistance,” he said.
According to the RRC, the number of displaced people and
returnees continues to increase, putting pressure on limited humanitarian
resources.
“It is almost around Juba; we are talking of something like
800000 IDPs have returned. And even now there are returnees coming with the UN
agencies who brought them from Sudan,” he added.
Makuch expressed appreciation to the Government of China for
the support.
“We want to give our thanks to the government of China and
humanitarian assistance to our needy population.”
Authorities say the distribution is expected to provide
temporary relief to thousands of vulnerable people as calls grow for additional
humanitarian support.