Tambura unrest: Humanitarian groups are progressively returning after a short hiatus owing to weeks of instability and violence.

Humanitarian groups are gradually returning to Tambura, Western Equatoria State, after a short halt due to weeks of instability and violence.

World Vision and the World Food Program have started activities in Tambura, as an integrated humanitarian assessment team visited the region to evaluate the safety and needs of the impacted people.

Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Country Director and Acting Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, was part of the team yesterday. He claims that the security situation is reasonably quiet, but that it is still tight.

The UN Mission in South Sudan built a temporary operational facility in Tambura in July to help safeguard people and provide a secure and conducive environment for humanitarian assistance.

Because the county has a population of around 84,000 people, about 80,000 people have been evacuated, and Tambura currently has a population of just 4,000 people. 80,000 people are not present.

Civilians are now returning to their gardens to harvest their food, although they have received no humanitarian aid since the war began.

Tambura County has seen deadly confrontations in recent months between SPLA-IO members and troops loyal to Gen. James Nando, who defected from the SPLA-IO to the SSPDF last year.

Observers have also blamed competition between politicians from the county for the conflicts, which have seen the Zande and Balanda tribes fight at various occasions.