South Sudan Christian Orthodox returnees find solace at Sunday Mass, Renk - 14 May 2023

A man looks at South Sudanese returnees' temporary shelters near the Orthodox Church in the Upper Nile State town of Renk, South Sudan, 14 May 2023. The grounds of the Orthodox Church in Renk are home to some hundreds of South Sudan returnees from the Christian Orthodox minority. They were brought in by transport sent by the South Sudan government. 'One morning we came and they were all here, they built shelters with tree wood pieces and women's clothes fabric; the challenge now is to provide them with food and water as there is none here', a church worker said, asking not to be named. The returnees sleep in the open area under extremely hot temperatures, a usual occurrence before the rainy season. Most have come with very little and do not know where they will go next. According to the United Nations, some 200,000 people have fled the conflict in Sudan between 15 April and 12 May 2023. Most of them left towards neighboring countries such as Egypt, Tchad, South Sudan or Ethiopia, and about two million people were internally displaced. On Sunday 14 May, the faithful found solace at mass guided by father Michael and prayed for a solution to their unexpected predicament. Leaving behind them the armed conflict between the Sudanese military and the RSF (Rapid Support Forces) militia, most of the refugees in South Sudan are South Sudanese returnees, part of the some 800, 000 who had previously fled the war in South Sudan and who are now returning to a country which is barely out of conflict itself, with tensions still remaining in many areas.