UNHCR: expresses concern about the influx of new refugees from Sudanese Blue Nile

Refugees

UNHCR: expresses concern about the influx of new refugees from Sudanese Blue Nile.

The United Nation High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) has expressed concern about the influx of new refugees from the Sudanese Blue Nile state crossing into Ethiopia.

The Sudanese are running away from fresh clashes in the area.

“A UNHCR assessment team returned on Monday from the Assosa region of western Ethiopia, where refugees have been arriving since late last week amid fighting across the border in Sudan’s Blue Nile state.

Sherkole camp

“The refugee population has swollen to around 20 000 people and as our team was there more were arriving,” the UN body’s office in Ethiopia said in a statement.

The new arrivals have been crossing into Ethiopia mainly through Kurmuk and Gizen, near Sherkole, some 770 kms west of Addis Ababa.

Others are crossing through Bamaza, further north.
“Generally, the physical state of the refugees appears good but they need food, water, and shelter.
“Some, in the Gizen area, are occupying schools while others are scattered in nearby villages with local families,” UNHCR said.

According to the statement, the first batch of refugees arrived at the Sherkole camp on Saturday.

New arrivals

So far, 2,500 refugees have been transferred to the camp.

The camp was first opened in 1997 in response to the North-South Sudanese civil war.

UNHCR has dispatched emergency relief items to Assosa and more supplies were on the way from Addis to assist those at Sherkole and in villages along the border.

The Ethiopian government has allocated three new sites at Tongo, Bambasi and Gure near Sherkole, to accommodate the new arrivals, each with a capacity to accommodate 10,000 refugees.

The UN called on both the Sudan government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North to end the fighting and allow access for humanitarian staff.

Barth/Abu