Malakal, 28 July, 2023 / 9:50 pm (ACI Africa).
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Malakal in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State has described the situation of returnees from war-torn Sudan as “very bad” and appealed to the international community to support the diocese that is reaching out to those affected by the violence.
In a Friday, July 28 interview with ACI Africa Bishop Stephen Nyodho Ador Majwok said those fleeing the war that broke out on April 15 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are in dire need of assistance as their living conditions continue to deteriorate daily.
“The situation of the returnees as they wait for their flights and boats to relocate them to different parts of the country is very bad,” Bishop Majwok said, and added, “Thousands of returnees now in Upper Nile State are living in very deplorable conditions without food and shelter.”
He appealed for assistance for those fleeing the violence, saying, “We are asking our partners and donors to continue helping our Diocese to extend help to these vulnerable people.”
The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of the Catholic Diocese of Malakal since his Episcopal Ordination in July 2019 said the most pressing need of those returning from Sudan is food.