UN’s O’Brien visits IDPs

The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator has called for protection of internally displaced people in South Sudan from diseases.

Stephen O’Brien is in the country on a four-day visit to see the living conditions of the IDPs.

He was at the UN camps known as Protection of Civilian Sites in Juba on Wednesday.

Mr O’Brien told the media that the IDPS need humanitarian support from both the government and the international community.

“They need a lot of support from the outside world and from the people who are here to give great humanitarian action and fast, whether is to have access to water, to have sufficient nutrition to children  and they need to be protected from the diseases,” he stated.

Mr. Obrien said he would meet with government officials and humanitarian partners discuss issues related to protection of civilians.

Two million people have fled their homes by the violence, with 100,000 forced to flee since May alone, according to Human Rights Watch.

Hundreds of thousands have sought safety in UN camps across the country, particularly in Juba, Bentiu and Malakal.