‘Heartbroken’ cleric pleads for urgent aid for 4,000 desperate CAR Tambura refugees

TAMBURA – A Catholic bishop has issued an urgent humanitarian appeal after encountering more than 4,000 Central African Republic (CAR) refugees living in “extremely distressing conditions” in the Rii-Yubu area in Tambura County of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, described the situation as a wound to his heart and a crisis demanding immediate intervention.

“My heart was most deeply wounded in Rii-Yubu, where I encountered over 4,000 refugees, many of them unaccompanied children, women, and elderly persons, living in extremely distressing conditions,” said Eduardo.

“These are our brothers and sisters fleeing cruel violence from the Central African Republic, alongside many returnees escaping similar brutality. Their suffering is urgent and undeniable,” he emphasised.

The bishop’s remarks were contained in a press statement issued on January 23, 2026, following a ten-day pastoral mission across Tambura County in Western Equatoria State.

He called on the government, humanitarian agencies, NGOs, the Church and the international community to mount “immediate, coordinated and humane intervention” to address the growing humanitarian emergency.

The mission, conducted across communities from Yambio through Ezo and into Tambura, aimed to assess the spiritual and humanitarian conditions of communities grappling with prolonged insecurity, displacement and weakened social cohesion. Bishop Kussala said the visit exposed both deep suffering and remarkable resilience among local populations.

During the mission, the bishop and his team celebrated Mass, administered sacraments, prayed with communities, blessed families and institutions, and inaugurated several Church-supported facilities intended to restore hope, stability and moral healing.

Despite severe logistical challenges — including impassable roads, vehicle breakdowns and long travel delays — the Diocese said the mission proceeded uninterrupted as a sign of solidarity with isolated and vulnerable communities.

While praising residents of Tambura for maintaining unity and humanity amid years of hardship, the bishop urged communities to reject revenge and division, warning that fragile peace in the area must be protected and nurtured.

However, it was the humanitarian situation in Rii-Yubu that prompted the strongest appeal. The bishop said the concentration of refugees from the CAR, alongside South Sudanese returnees fleeing violence elsewhere, has overwhelmed local coping mechanisms, leaving thousands without adequate shelter, food or medical care.

The Diocese commended volunteer medical doctors from Greece, known as the Heart Doctors, who provided free healthcare services in Yambio, Nzara, Ezo, Banduguyo, Rii-Yubu and Tambura during the mission. It also praised the business community for continuing to supply essential goods despite insecurity and economic hardship.

The statement further thanked state authorities, county administrations, Church personnel, security forces and humanitarian partners for supporting the pastoral mission and encouraging peaceful coexistence.

Tambura County has witnessed recurrent violence since 2021, driven largely by communal tensions, armed youth attacks and revenge killings. The conflict has displaced thousands, destroyed homes and disrupted farming, trade, education and healthcare services.

Though relative calm has been reported in recent months, humanitarian actors warn that conditions remain fragile, with urgent assistance still required for displaced and refugee populations.