13 January 2014 - As hundreds of civilians continued to seek refuge UNMISS bases in Juba, the mission and humanitarian partners were preparing to move some internally displaced people (IDPs) to a new protection site, an International Organization for Migration official said today in Juba.
“A new site east of the UN House base is earmarked for those to be brought from Tomping and new arrivals,” said Laura Jones, who is responsible for distribution and transportation of essential supplies to newcomers.
Ms. Jones noted that the move to the new site at UN House on Yei Road would be for “surplus” IDPs and newly arrived civilians as space at another base adjacent to the airport became inadequate to accommodate the thousands of IDPs currently seeking shelter there.
Juba residents said the massive movement of civilians was generated by daily rumours that anti-government forces were near the national capital and getting ready to attack, which in turn caused panic among the local population.
Meanwhile, IDPs in the UNMISS bases were getting more involved in efforts by humanitarian partners to provide them with basic needs by loading and off-loading relief supplies on trucks.
“The bags we are just packing are for new arrivals and each bag contains an assortment of relief assistance,” said Gibson Gusser, a Mercy Corps official. “Each bag contains … (a) plastic sheet for a tent, a kitchen kit, a mosquito net, blanket, mat, water can, two buckets, a piece of “kanga” cloth and six pieces of washing soap.”