JUBA – Food distribution in Wadwill Refugees Settlement in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has been halted following confusion and tension between genuine refugees and South Sudanese nationals who allegedly registered as refugees to receive food aid.
According to Angelo Bol Chan, the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for Refugee Affairs in Wadwill, the exercise was meant to commence earlier this week.
However, officials suspended it after discovering that more than 300 South Sudanese nationals had fraudulently registered themselves as refugees.
“The camp hosts both refugees and South Sudanese returnees who fled conflict in Sudan. Unfortunately, over 300 South Sudanese individuals registered themselves as refugees but were later found to be local returnees. They are now threatening to disrupt the food distribution after being excluded from the list,” Chan said.
He explained that the Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations agencies managing the camp, has temporarily suspended food distribution to prevent violence and restore order.
“The delay is due to the mayhem these individuals are trying to create. We are engaging the community and UN partners to quell tensions and ensure that the rightful beneficiaries—genuine refugees—receive their assistance,” Chan added.
Some of those excluded argue that they deserve food assistance, claiming they fled the fighting in Sudan and have nowhere else to go. One South Sudanese man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he should be allowed to access aid because he came from Sudan like the refugees.
“I came when the fighting erupted in Sudan. I don’t know anyone here, and I don’t understand why I’m being forced into an identity I don’t want,” he said.
The Wadwill Refugee Settlement, according to the Commission for Refugee Affairs, currently shelters over 20,000 refugees, mostly from Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
Chan urged all residents to remain calm and patient as consultations continue with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian partners.
He assured that the authorities are working to resume food distribution as soon as possible once the situation is resolved and the list of genuine beneficiaries is verified.
