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South Sudan

South Sudan - Nagero County Western Equatoria State: IOM CARD CARDO and WOSS Joint Assessment mission - 30 September 2021

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Nagero County is one of the counties of the Western Equatoria State, it’s located southwest of Wau county of Western Baher El ghazal State and North of Tambura County, Nagero has three Payams namely, Nagero center, Duma and Namutina Payam, the Balanda are the majority inhabitants among are others are the Bongo and Azande ethnic groups, according to Census record in 2010 Nagero County population was 74,500 individuals. Majority of the community practice farming with cultivation of G/nuts, sorghum, Simsim, millet, Cassava, and cash crops among other crops, few people practice small scale retail businesses accessing major markets in Wau, WBeG and the neiboring Tambura County of WES. During the dry season the communities in Nagero carry out fishing and hunting along river Sue. The Balanda population is considerable in Western Equatoria State they have presence in the civil institutions across the state alongside with the Azande, Baka, Mundu, Muru, Avakaya, Makaraka and Jur Bel.

Nagero people has been displaced first time in May -June 2018, many seek refuge in Tambura County and some run to Bazia in Western Bahr El Ghazal and stay at Gomoba, some of them travel to Wau and join IDPs in PoC AA in Wau The conflict in Tambura of Western Equatoria State started on 12th May- 2021 in a village called Naita along the Namatina Payam road, the root cause is not clear, the escalation of the violence reached its peak during the months of June and July and automatically, the conflict is said to be intercommunal between Balanda and Azande communities. Many lives are reported to have been lost, shelters demolished and burnt down, destruction of food crops and fruit trees. Men, women, children and the elderly fled Tambura County to Nagero county seeking security, safety and services, some of the IDPs managed to reach upto Wau county in Western Baher El ghazal State and integrated with their relatives and friends, few of the IDPs without community link in Wau to host them have arrived in Naivasha IDPs Camp previously known as (PoC AA). Many settling along the roadside from Duma to Kubri Bou (boarder with Western Baher El ghazal State), IDPs presence is reported in Sherka Ayat, Bangaru, Magbuku 10 miles North of Tambura, but the team did not reach that site to witness.

According to the IDPs and local authorities 20 major residential areas within Tambura have been affected by the conflict, the areas are: Naita, Akpa, Sanakpuro, Bazande, Bangaru, Nabaria,
Nambia, Nzama, Banambiro, Mangburu, Zangia, Senenguse, Tahrir, St. Mary, Hai Salam, Kinia,
Rhino, Banzua, Matakurngu and Mabaiku. the impact of the conflict in Tambura is expressed to be disastrous according to the IDPs and RRC.

Since the IDPs arrived in Nagero County there has been no tension between the Balanda and Azande communities in Nagero County. The IDPs in Nagero is a mix of the Azande and Balanda communities displaced from Tambura.