Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bentiu camp in Unity state recently were on the streets protesting aid cut by humanitarian agencies, then, returnees in Magwi county of Eastern Equatoria state, followed suit.

The two communities live under two different environments; yet face similar and common life threats. Whereas the IDPs live in protected settlements with limited access to farmland owing to their fate; the returnees from exile attempted cultivating food crops to cope with life at home but lurking misfortune still snatched off their expectations of good harvest through dry spells.

Testimonies of the disabled persons who left refugee camps due to hardships of getting food only to enter another scenario of drought destroying entire farmland is quite painful.

Meanwhile, Bentiu protesters, mostly women and children, marched with empty saucepans, on Wednesday, probably; they were also on empty stomachs.

However, Humanitarian agencies that would handle such situations are over-strained by numerous catastrophes the world over and opt to commit resources to worst-hit areas.

But still, one can’t detach a weaning baby abruptly rather than gradually while offering alternative supplements for the continuity of the infant. In this case, before total halt of aid supply, the humanitarian agencies would have made arrangements with the government to transfer the load to feed the IDPs.

Then, the returnees, not only those in Eastern Equatoria state but including those in other states should be supported till they are able to sustain life on their own.

Much as a few of the citizens have come back home, the return is yet a test of the depth of the waters and their misery could discourage others.

The two protests are just tips of a deep predicament of citizens which calls for urgent attention and sustainable national solution before it escalates.