South Sudan: Nuer refugees in Pugnido Camp, Gambella, Ethiopia targeted by Anyuak gunmen

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: South Sudanese-born Emmanuel Jal posted two important items with footage at his Facebook account today. 

The posts are about Pugnido refugee camp in Ethiopia where many South Sudanese Nuer refugees currently reside: Nuer refugees were targeted and attacked by Anyuak gunmen, at least one young child refugee was shot dead. The footage, taken last week, shows terrified men, women and children running for their lives. The camp has been under attack by Anyuak gunmen.

Emmanuel says 70% of Nuer in South Sudan are internally or externally displaced or in refugee camps such as Pugnido Camp in Gambella region of Ethiopia. They were living in South Sudan's most fertile land full of riches and oil: Upper Nile, Unity State and Jonglei. Clearly, they were forced to flee to make way for newcomers and mining. Who are the evildoers? Why don't Sudanese have land rights or legal rights? We're not living in the Stone Age.

The South Sudanese people who fled as refugees to Ethiopia are resented by many Ethiopians. South Sudanese currently living in refugee camps or elsewhere in Ethiopia who want to return home to South Sudan should be supported by the AU, AUPSC, UN and any others who rake in billions from the world's taxpayers to help the most needy and vulnerable people and children in countries such as Sudan and South Sudan.

Here are the two posts [each with same footage, beige highlighting is mine].

From the Facebook account of Emmanuel Jal 

Posted Wed 16 Aug 2023 with footage of Nuer fleeing gunmen

Shared with Public

These are refugee children under attack in Pinyudo camp in Ethiopia it’s a shame to see armed attacks attacked on women and refugees: #These are Nuer children they speak the same language as me and I hear what terror that they are experiencing. It’s happening in a place called pegnido in Gambella region. This happened last week. Let’s pray that things stabilize 70% of Nuer are internally displaced or in the regugee camp. They come from the most fertilize land of South Sudan with minerals and alot of oil. Upper Nile, Unity state and Jonglei.@guaafrica @chooselove @igniting_change  @angelicafuentes63a @chudierjj2023 @amnesty

View original: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=833381155071232

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Emmanuel Jal shared the second half of this post from Chudier Jiing Kuol Facebook account

Posted Wed 16 Aug 2023

Shared with Public

These children are refugees the camp and they are under attack because they are Nuer. The UN is doing nothing and government. it’s look like there is organized systematic ethnic cleansing of Nuer people 70 % of them leaves in the refugeee camp internally displaced or externally.

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From Chudier Jiing Kuol Facebook account

Dated 09 Aug 2023

Shared with Public

PINGADU REFUGEE CAMP IS UNDER ATTACK FROM ANYUAK GUN MEN:

A young girl child calling out for her little sister, Nyakong who seemed to have been shot dead by the attackers while fleeing for her life. The camp is under heavy attack from Anyuak gun men as men, women and children (refugees) flee for their lives. 

As always, I call on Refugees & Returnees Service - RRS, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR Ethiopia and FDRE government to strengthen refugee protection in Ethiopia particularly Gambella Region. I have to assure you that Gambella Regional State Government is working absolutely against 1951 Refugee Convention. 

The only crime these refugees committed is their IDENTITY.

This is outrageous act of violence with IMPUNITY.  

#refugees 

#refugeesupport 

Ethiopian Human Rights Commission 

Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation 

Addis Media Network-English 

Addis Standard 

Gambella Mass Media Service

View original here 

https://www.facebook.com/EmmanuelJal/posts/pfbid02g5kRvQDso4TLsfefacnwqWsiZqW9EDWU7atvfHPQo9GzkjHaW9KmZKaynME4VWCql

and here:

https://www.facebook.com/chudier.jiingkuol/videos/pingadu-refugee-camp-is-under-attack-from-anyuak-gun-mena-young-girl-child-calli/2027897904218479/

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Further reading

Article from ReliefWeb - excerpt:

Ethiopia: Camp Profile Gambella - Pugnido Refugee Camp (May 2020)

The Gambela Region has, since May 2023, faced insecurity due to ethnic based violence, reportedly leading to several casualties in Gambela town and displacing at least a reported 11,700(6) people in Itang Woreda and other affected areas as of 31 July. Needs for the displaced are assumed to include emergency shelter and non-food items, nutrition supplies for children 

View original: https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/ethiopia-camp-profile-gambella-pugnido-refugee-camp-may-2020

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Situation Report from ReliefWeb 11 Aug 2023 

UNFPA Ethiopia Humanitarian Response Situation Report - July 2023

https://reliefweb.int/report/ethiopia/unfpa-ethiopia-humanitarian-response-situation-report-july-2023
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URGENT: South Sudanese humanitarians seek funding to transport people fleeing Sudan fighting: UN

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: I have combined this news report with three posts from Emmanuel Jal's Facebook page where he highlights an urgent need to transport South Sudanese returnees home safely. Most are stranded in places around the border where they can't afford to travel any further. Many have family they can stay with. Others will need shelter. 

The news report says the UN urgently needs $26.4m to transport South Sudanese returnees by river, road or air. Emmanuel's posts last May, June, July show people helping some returnees to get home safely by bus or boat. 

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Report at China View - english.news.cn/

Source: Xinhua; Editor: huaxia

Dated Thursday 27 July 2023, 03:53:15 - here is a full copy:

South Sudanese humanitarians seek funding to transport people fleeing Sudan fighting: UN

UNITED NATIONS, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The humanitarian community in South Sudan is seeking urgent funding to transport people fleeing fighting in Sudan, mostly South Sudanese returnees, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

"Many of those fleeing are vulnerable with no financial resources to continue their journey inside the country," said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The spokesman said that humanitarians have been helping people reach their final destinations by river, road or air but are running out of funds. Without new funding, humanitarian agencies will be forced to halt transportation in two weeks' time.

"With no onward transportation available, more people will become stranded in and around the border towns where humanitarian services are already overstretched," Dujarric said.

"We need 26.4 million U.S. dollars to continue providing this service until the end of the year," he added. 

View the original report here: 

http://www.chinaview.cn/africa/20230727/57b208f1f44440c0bd9bb73dc964c074/c.html

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From Emmanuel Jal Facebook page

Posted 26 May 2023 - here is a full copy:

Shared with Public

Thank you @angelicafuentes63 for hiring a bus to take 43 individuals to safety from Kosti in Sudan to Unity state Bentiu in South Sudan. If you want to be part of this cause you can check out our partner @chooselove who is currently hiring too buses with partnership with @guaafrica 

WATCH video of Emmanuel:

Thank you @angelicafuentes63 for hiring a bus to take 43 individuals to safety from Kosti in Sudan to Unity state Bentiu in South Sudan. If you…

View the original post with video here: 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=261580383056246

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From Emmanuel Jal Facebook page

Emmanuel Jal is in Sudan

Posted 27 June 2023 - here is a full copy:

Shared with Public

We continue to send buses from Sudan to safety in South Sudan through my charity @guaafrica and our partnership with @chooselove

Thanks to all those who have stood with us and raised funds. 

The roads are very dangerous and we are prioritising the safety of women and children and those with no funds so they can escape the horrors still playing out In Khartoum. It’s upsetting to see how the main stream media has forgotten so quickly about the situation there but we continue to put a spotlight and help those who need it. 

#wewantpeace #sudan #khartoum #southsudan #mylifeisart

View the original post here:

https://www.facebook.com/EmmanuelJal/posts/pfbid02L8Z54sjcsqLsRmB8oLbM6XkzPAqsxnkWmej8urmFPu8MtDKjVWuiFJ76V6Xd8FULl

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From Emmanuel Jal Facebook page

Posted 14 July 2023 at 10:07 - here is a full copy:

Shared with Public

@maryannthompsonfrenk thank you for playing a part in getting two buses secured to people to safety this week from Sudan to South Sudanese We are grateful to angels that you rallied to make it possible here are there names.

Shout out to 

Felix Meneses

Chase Robertson

Alan Keith

Joshua Raymond Frenk

The Memnosyne Institute

Marcus X Russell

Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk

John Philp Thompson

These photos here are from our previous buses hired by @guaafrica with partnership with @chooselove

This week we will have people travel by boats and buses.

View the original post here:

https://www.facebook.com/EmmanuelJal/posts/pfbid02XJc8dWLFpeVgHvEY2pdzPKevcYAgs4F9irEhXq7Nva9vSoRjHN3guiVc3Rv62ArMl

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Sudan: Measles in Khartoum and White Nile State

Report at BBC News Live Reporting - bbc.com/africalive
By BBC Arabic's Sudan Lifeline radio
Additional reporting by Will Ross
Published Monday 03 July 2023, 13:17 BST - here is a full copy:

Sudan doctor warns of rise in measles cases amid conflict

There has been a rise in the number of measles cases in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, because the ongoing conflict is preventing vaccinations, a paediatrician has told the BBC.

Speaking to the Sudan Lifeline programme, Dr Mohamed al-Taher, who is based in Khartoum, said there was a shortage of vaccines, which could lead to the outbreak of diseases among children.

"Vaccination is the responsibility of the ministry of health, yet the ministry cannot carry out its role as regards the vaccination process," he said..

"There is a shortage in the measles vaccine and a number of cases have already occurred among children and they are expected to be very severe... it will be very severe because their bodies will not be resisting it."

With frequent aerial bombardment and clashes in densely populated urban areas, it's extremely dangerous to try to reach clinics.

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has warned that as people flee their homes there are increasing cases of measles and malnutrition in camps in White Nile state, south of the capital. 

MSF says communities have reported a rise in child mortality much of it due to suspected cases of measles. 

Image caption: The fighting between the army and the RSF militia began in April

Click here to view original.

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Related reports

Sudan Watch - Monday, June 26, 2023

South Sudan: Measles outbreak in Unity State

Click here to check if you or your child has measles

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/06/south-sudan-measles-outbreak-in-unity.html

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Sudan Watch - Saturday, July 01, 2023

South Sudan: Unity State launch measles vaccination

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/05/south-sudan-unity-state-launch-measles.html

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Sudan Watch - Sunday, July 02, 2023

Sudan: Vaccine hero on front lines uses auto rickshaw

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/06/sudan-vaccine-hero-on-front-lines-uses.html

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South Sudan: Unity State launch measles vaccination

Dr. Mai Puok Machar, a healthcare professional at Rubkona County Hospital, stressed the seriousness of measles as an infectious disease.

He outlined the symptoms, which include high fever (which can spike to over 104°F), cough, runny nose (coryza), red watery eyes (conjunctivitis), and a rash that typically appears 3-5 days after onset of symptoms. Read more.

Report at Radio Tamazuj - radiotamazuj.org/en
Published 27 June 2023 - here is a full copy:

Unity State launches measles vaccination for returnees

(BENTIU - 27 JUN 2023) - A measles vaccination campaign has commenced in Rubkona and Koch counties in Unity State, targeting returnees, particularly those who recently fled Sudan. The initiative aims to vaccinate individuals aged five months to 15 years.

The campaign launched on Monday is being supported by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other UN agencies.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Duol Biem, Director General of the State Ministry of Health, said,” We have launched a measles vaccination campaign. Health workers are already in the field, and the operation is estimated to take seven days, considering the population that needs to be vaccinated in Rubkona County and Koch County.”

Biem revealed that a few measles cases were reported in both counties last week. He emphasized the importance of vaccinating all children among the returnees. Furthermore, he stated that the vaccination program would continue indefinitely due to the continuous arrival of people on a daily basis. He added, “Our focus is prevention, and this measles vaccination campaign will span one week, concluding on June 31.”

In a recent report by the Unity State health ministry, 26 cases of measles were confirmed in Rubkona, Guit, and Mayom counties.

Nyadak Gattuor, one of the returnees at Rotriak in Rubkona County, confirmed the launch of the vaccination campaign on Saturday. She shared that her children had already been vaccinated and encouraged all parents to take their children to the vaccination centres in Rotriak and Nyaruop Port.

“Two of my children have been vaccinated, and they are now protected against measles,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mai Puok Machar, a healthcare professional at Rubkona County Hospital, stressed the seriousness of measles as an infectious disease in the community.

He outlined the symptoms, which include high fever (which can spike to over 104°F), cough, runny nose (coryza), red watery eyes (conjunctivitis), and a rash that typically appears 3-5 days after the onset of symptoms.

Dr. Mai urged the community to remain vigilant and advised, “I strongly recommend that the community in Unity State ensure their children receive the measles vaccination, as it is the most effective way to prevent this disease.”

According to the World Health Organization, measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily spreads through direct contact and airborne transmission. However, thanks to vaccinations, the severity and mortality rates associated with measles have significantly decreased

View original: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/unity-state-launches-measles-vaccination-for-returnees

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