Unity state government urges UN to relocate IDPs

The government of Unity state, Bentiu, is urging the United Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS) to relocate the internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in the UN base in Bentiu to higher grounds due to heavy floods that has affected the (IDPs).

Editor's Note: Houses in an IDPs centre submerged in floods. The government of Unity state is asking UNMISS to relocate IDPs in its camps in Bentiu to higher grounds.

Speaking to media in Bentiu, the Unity State government spokesperson, Peter Makouth Malual, says the call comes in response to reports that hundreds of people have been left with no shelter after their houses were washed away by floods during heavy rains last week.

“If they don’t come out from there the UN must relocate them into high ground to avoid such situation to happen again,” said Malual. 

“We give a call through our Bentiu FM 99 that lets people come out from that area. We know, all of us in Bentiu, it’s not a good area. It’s not an area that people can live in, and that’s why we asked them to come out, so that they come and stay in a higher land, and when it rains heavily they will not be affected. This is our call,”

Meanwhile, UNMISS Acting Spokesperson Joe Contreras says the UN plans to clear the drainage to control a possible recurrence of flooding in the camp.

“Right now, we are looking to improve the drainage system, to lower the amount of flooding currently existing and to try to prevent a recurrence of that kind of flooding. And that is a matter of our standing at the moment. We unfortunately don’t have another location where we can easily move these people and we are trying to respond to their needs as best as we can, but it is a difficult situation,” he said.

IDPs in Bentiu were seriously affected last week by heavy rains and floods, which left many of them without shelters. The IDPs demonstrated, asking the UN to relocate them to higher grounds or provide a solution.