Tens of thousands seek refuge in South Sudan
- 12 years ago
Food has finally arrived at the Doro refugee camp in northern South Sudan.
But for many, the help may have come too late.
A bombing campaign by Sudanese armed forces just across the border in Sudan's Blue Nile state has forced at least 80,000 people to abandon their homes and fields and seek shelter in the newly-independent South Sudan.
Refugees say government soldiers have been bombing civilian areas, and ground forces are destroying their crops.
One woman hid in bushes for weeks, and finally made her way across the border with her family, walking for many days without food or water.
(SOUNDBITE) (Uduk) SUDANESE REFUGEE, ZENA BADE, SAYING:
"The government soldiers came and chased us away from our village and took away our sorghum. We hid in the bushes. When we came back from the place we had been hiding there was no food, so we had to come here."
But days after this interview was shot, her granddaughter passed away.
One doctor says many refugees are so hungry they'll eat anything - even if it makes them sick.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (MSF / DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS) DOCTOR, NANCY HSIN, SAYING:
"In the camp, if they don't get food from organisations, from anybody that could help, the rumours are that they were eating leaves from the trees, they are eating things in the earth that we are not even sure they are eatable -- they are drinking water that was not treated, so we did have a lot of cases of watery diarrhoea and malnutrition because of that."
Residents haven't been able to harvest, or even plant, their crops because of the government bombardment.
An official here at the camp says as many 100,000 people may still be holding out in parts of Blue Nile state.
He says when food is in short supply, it can easily be used as a weapon of war -- and that's exactly what Sudan is doing.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DORO REFUGEE CAMP SUPERVISOR, SILA MUSA, SAYING:
"It becomes just like a weapon because if people do not eat, they are going to die. The same is if you are using a gun you are going to kill the person. There is no difference. They are the same."
Travis Brecher, Reuters
But for many, the help may have come too late.
A bombing campaign by Sudanese armed forces just across the border in Sudan's Blue Nile state has forced at least 80,000 people to abandon their homes and fields and seek shelter in the newly-independent South Sudan.
Refugees say government soldiers have been bombing civilian areas, and ground forces are destroying their crops.
One woman hid in bushes for weeks, and finally made her way across the border with her family, walking for many days without food or water.
(SOUNDBITE) (Uduk) SUDANESE REFUGEE, ZENA BADE, SAYING:
"The government soldiers came and chased us away from our village and took away our sorghum. We hid in the bushes. When we came back from the place we had been hiding there was no food, so we had to come here."
But days after this interview was shot, her granddaughter passed away.
One doctor says many refugees are so hungry they'll eat anything - even if it makes them sick.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (MSF / DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS) DOCTOR, NANCY HSIN, SAYING:
"In the camp, if they don't get food from organisations, from anybody that could help, the rumours are that they were eating leaves from the trees, they are eating things in the earth that we are not even sure they are eatable -- they are drinking water that was not treated, so we did have a lot of cases of watery diarrhoea and malnutrition because of that."
Residents haven't been able to harvest, or even plant, their crops because of the government bombardment.
An official here at the camp says as many 100,000 people may still be holding out in parts of Blue Nile state.
He says when food is in short supply, it can easily be used as a weapon of war -- and that's exactly what Sudan is doing.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DORO REFUGEE CAMP SUPERVISOR, SILA MUSA, SAYING:
"It becomes just like a weapon because if people do not eat, they are going to die. The same is if you are using a gun you are going to kill the person. There is no difference. They are the same."
Travis Brecher, Reuters