KEY FIGURES
- Daily arrival figures from July 2016 are based on manual emergency registration or head-counts/wrist-banding. Confirmed figures will be available as the new arrivals undergo biometric registration. Figures prior to July are from the Government’s Refugee Information Management System (RIMS).
2,601
Number of new arrivals on Tuesday 30th August
2,400
Number of new arrivals on Monday 29th August
100,933
Number of new arrivals after 1st July 2016 (as per field reports)
330,109
Total number of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda
PRIORITIES
Rapid relocation of refugees from reception facilities to new settlement areas
Continued monitoring of health situation (and potential disease outbreaks, especially cholera) in overcrowded reception facilities
Providing specialized and prioritized protection assistance to refugees with specific needs in Bidibidi
Highlights
- 5,001 people have fled to Uganda over the past two days, 2,400 on Monday and 2,601 on Tuesday.
More than five times as many people crossed in to Uganda using the Oraba (Arua axis) border point than using the Elegu (Adjumani axis) border point, confirming Oraba as the main border crossing point in reason weeks. Compared to July, more new arrivals are fleeing from Central Equatoria and less are fleeing from Eastern Equatoria.
In Adjumani, new arrivals report armed groups in Magwi kidnapping youths and sexually assaulting women and girls. There were also reportedly attacks on vehicles travelling on the Juba to Nimule road, the main road from the South Sudanese capital to Uganda. Some people reportedly died in the incident, increasing tensions amongst the surrounding community. New arrivals report that fighting and violence is on the rise across Central Equatoria, particularly in Yei.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi conducted a two day mission to Uganda on the 29th and 30th of August. On Monday, he visited Adjumani district, along with Hon. Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hillary Onek, UN Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees George Okoth-Obbo, UNHCR Africa Bureau Director Valentin Tapsoba, acting UNHCR Representative to Uganda Bornwell Kantande and UN Resident Coordinator Rosa Malango. He met with South Sudanese refugees in Pagirinya settlement and Nyumanzi Transit Centre. At a press conference, he made a passionate plea for an end to the human rights violations and atrocities that have sent thousands of people across the border in to Uganda in the last two months. On the 30th August, Grandi met with donors, the UN Country Team, World Bank, Prime Minister of Uganda Ruhakana Rugunda and senior Government officials, praising Uganda for continuing to welcome refugees and calling on the international community to offer more support for the humanitarian response to the South Sudan crisis. Read more: http://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2016/8/57c5a5ce4/un-refugee-chief-world-must-act-end-south-sudan-suffering.html
1,362 refugees were transported from Adjumani, Arua and Moyo to Bidibidi settlement, bringing the total number relocated there to 34,411. Bidibidi has a potential capacity for 100,000 refugees.
76 cases of cholera have been identified in Pagirinya settlement, 70 of whom have been successfully treated and discharged. Cholera prevention efforts are continuing in both Pagirinya and Bidibidi, including disinfection of possibly contaminated locations and vehicles and people, enhanced hygiene promotion, soap distribution, sensitisation campaigns, and the WASH response.
UPDATE ON SITUATION
In Bidibidi, two meetings were held to identify candidates to lead a women’s empowerment group.
Finger-print scanning has begun at Elegu collection point to help limit the potential for refugees to be registered in multiple settlement and reception locations.
Second-hand clothes have been distributed to close to 1,000 refugees in Bidibidi settlement.
17 volunteers have been provided with training on hygiene, security, health and services available to refugees.
Sensitization on sexual and gender-based violence, including referral mechanisms, are ongoing however, there continue to be few cases reported. Those who do identify themselves are being provided with special counselling and psycho-social support.