The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) is stationed along the border between Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, participating in the joint operations to root out the Lord's Resistance Army. In Gangura, 6 miles from the border of DRC, they protect hundreds of Congolese refugees who are making their way to the new UNHCR site in Makpandu.

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a Ugandan based guerrilla army, has been fighting in northern Uganda since 1986, in a civil war that has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives and caused around 1.6 million refugees to flee. The UN has described the war as the “biggest neglected humanitarian emergency in the world”.

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Following the beginning of the joint military operation “Operation Lightning Thunder” on December 14, 2008, led by the Ugandan army with support from the Congolese, Southern Sudanese, and Central African Republic armies, the LRA have increased attacks on civilians in all neighboring countries and forced thousands out of their homes.

Over 5,000 Congolese have fled into Southern Sudan seeking refuge, where UNHCR is working with a number of humanitarian organizations in the relief effort. The number of forcibly displaced in the Orientale Province of northeastern DRC have now surpassed 104,000. Many of these internally displaced people are still hiding in the bush, while others have moved to the UNHCR site for the refugees in Makpandu and Ezo, Western Equatoria Province, Southern Sudan.

Ezo was recently attacked in the LRA’s newest wave of violence, and people in Southern Sudan are now desperate to defend themselves with anything they can, including arrows and spears.

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UNHCR trucks transport Congolese refugees and their possessions to the newly created UNHCR site in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. From Duru, DRC, Boribye jumps on the moving truck to join her husband and daughter Mbodu. Close to the border of Southern Sudan, the remote village of Duru has been victim to repeated LRA attacks since September, the most recent occuring over the Christmas holiday.

UNHCR trucks transport Congolese refugees and their possessions to the newly created UNHCR site in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. The journey from Gangura, 6 miles from the northern border of DRC, to Makpandu, is only 56 kilometers but takes 3 hours due to the condition of roads.

Sungipio Anibiya and her baby Balribia Ungare join 50 others from Gangura, Southern Sudan, on the border of northern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the journey to Makpandu. Sunigipia hopes to reunite with her husband at the refugee site.

Mabe Oba, age 11, fled from the village Nampari in northern Democratic Republic of Congo. After living in Ganguri with a host family for one month, he hopes to reunite with family members also making their way to Makpandu.

The journey from Gangura, 6 miles from the northern border of DRC, to Makpandu, is only 56 kilometers but takes 3 hours due to the condition of roads.

Gimarigu Gomorobanga and her daughter Alima travel by truck to the newly created UNHCR site for Congolese refugees in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. During a break from the bumpy roads, Gimarigu fixes Alima's hair.

Congolese refugees travel by truck from Gangura, 6 miles from the northern border of DRC, to the newly created UNHCR site in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. The journey is only 56 kilometers, but takes 3 hours due to the condition of roads.

Congolese refugees reunite with family members as they arrive to the Makpandu UNHCR site in Southern Sudan.

From Bitima, DRC, Mibitere and her family decided to flee into Sudan after her brother-in-law was killed by the LRA. After a two-day journey by foot from Bitima, they stayed with a host family in Gangura for three weeks.

Baby Merci sleeps under a UNHCR tarp at the newly created site for Congolese refugees in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. Her mother Boribye fled with her two daughters from Duru, a remote village in Orientale Province, DRC that has been victim to repeated attacks.

The Catholic Diocese in Yambio, Southern Sudan, provide hot meals to new arrivals at the UNHCR site for Congolese refugees in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. The cooks and servers are also refugees, employed by the Diocese for 15 Sudanese pounds per day.

Merci Jandu seeks treatment for combination malaria and intestinal problems at the newly created UNHCR site for Congolese refugees in Makpandu, Southern Sudan. The Makpandu Primary Health Care Center, supported by the Ministry of Health/Government of Southern Sudan, is now serving thousands of Congolese refugees in addition to the local population.