Refugees stream in despite truce in South Sudan

By SILAH KOSKEI

Hundred of refugees from South Sudan are still streaming into Kenya despite the recent public announcement of a ceasefire between rebels and government.

The conflict between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar has left many people dead, while thousands have sought asylum in neighbouring countries.

At Nadapal along the Kenya-Sudan border, hundreds of South Sudanese continue trooping from the war-ravaged country and are being taken to Kakuma camp, which is the second largest refugee camp in the world hosting over 500,000 people.

Despite the truce, refugees say normalcy is yet to return and that suspicion continues between the Nuer and Dinka tribes.

Nyakueth Tim Chol, 24, from Unity State in South Sudan says rivalry has escalated despite the ceasefire. Before the civil war started, she was an accountant with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) in Juba. She has now sough refige in Kenya.

“We have been living peacefully in our country until recently when we turned against one another,” she says. She came to Kenya together with more than 300 other South Sudan nationals and now, she hopes to find her two children and her husband whom they separated with following the ongoing conflict in Bor.

She says attempts to trace them have been futile as her husband’s phone went off.

“The last time I saw my kids was on January 15 and I have never been at peace because I do not know where they are. I am hoping to find them at the camp,” she says.

Chol recounts the harrowing experienced she went through at the hands of militia, whom she says were ruthless and take pride in killing innocent people.

She says her escape from Unity State to Juba was harrowing after she came face-to-face with militia that confiscated her passport and took away what little money she had.

“They chased me and demanded to know which clan I belong to. I was adamant and only told them that I am South Sudanese,” she recalls.

Chol said she witnessed her colleagues who did not have money forced to commit acts of abomination. She adds that most women are forced by circumstances to hide their mobile phones or risk being killed if found in possession of one.

“I am not ready to return despite the announcement of ceasefire because in reality, the truce has not made a difference as many people would think,” she says.

The mother of two says most boys and men in the region fail to escape from the country because they are forced to join militias.

Nyakan Kelu, 34, delivered a baby on the road while fleeing the fighting.

Though weak after staying for more than three days without proper food, she is happy to have given birth safely to a baby girl. “The fighting is intense in South Sudan. I escaped from the region while pregnant and I am happy to have given birth to my baby Nyasana (symbolically meaning a woman who will one day get married to a man with many cows),” she says in a hushed tone due to her weakened body.

Kelu is, however, disappointed that she is yet to hear from her husband who also ran away from the conflict.

Nadapal Assistant Immigration Officer Victor Kiptai says there has been an influx of refugees, with the highest number being women and children. He says more than 300 refugees cross over every day and with the facilitation of IOM and UNHCR, they are transported to Kakuma Refugee Camp.

“The huge numbers at the border are indicate that fighting is still ongoing. We had anticipated that the situation would change following the recent government announcement of ceasefire,” he adds.

Kiptai says the border remains on high alert over the possibility of communicable diseases.

“The Government has indeed ensured that anybody coming into the country gets a jab against measles and any other communicable diseases,” he says.