South Sudan refugee crisis: New camp opened in West Nile

MOYO- Palorinya Settlement Camp in West Nile has been reopened to accommodate an estimated 80,000 refugees who are fleeing the fragile South Sudan.

  The decision to reopen the camp was made by officials from the office of prime minister and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Moyo District.

The reopening of the camp would allow 80,000 South Sudan nationals who have continued to flee their country and seek refuge in Ugandan.

 Palorinya was home to South Sudanese refugees from 1990s until early 2000 when they were repatriated.

 Officials from the office of the prime minister, UNHCR and Moyo district on Sunday carried out an assessment on health centres, schools, water facilities and security to ensure that the refugees are settled.

 Mr Sardhanand Panchoe, the field coordinator and production, UNHCR told Daily Monitor on Sunday that the assessment would pave way for settlement of the South Sudan refugees who have continued to enter the district.

 “Those refugees are waiting for our protection after crossing from a war zone in South Sudan. We need to do proper assessment to ensure that they are safe and given the necessary services as they settle here,” he said.

 The revival of the settlement camp comes at a time when the number of refugees from South Sudan overwhelms other settlement camps in Adjumani, Arua and Yumbe districts.

Bidibidi Camp in Yumbe District has over 213,279 refugees.

  Officials from the office of the prime minister say they receive about 4,000 arrivals as situation in South Sudan remains volatile.

  “We are all susceptible to refugee life. We need to  act fast in order to help mothers and children who are sleeping in cold nights without mosquito nets and lacking basic necessities,”  Ms Joseline Draleru, the community service officer, office of  the prime minister said

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