Starvation in Plateau IDP Camps
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Riyom Town Hall camp in Plateau State are still wallowing in hunger. It is a shame that governments at all levels and emergency agencies have failed to respond to this humanitarian crisis several weeks after I drew attention to it. A large number of these hapless people, who were displaced from their villages by rampaging herders are starving and sleeping on the bare floor.
One of the IDPs, John Langai, remarked during a visit to the camp by a delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): “We have been living in degrading and dehumanising conditions ever since we moved to the camp in June. Many of our people were killed, our houses burnt by the attackers and our farms destroyed. Those of us who survived have nothing to eat; in fact we have been starving. We don’t have what to sleep on. As you can see, the women are on bare floor over there. Many have contacted diseases due to overcrowding and some have even died as a result.”
Mrs Blessing Gyang, a survivor, who lost five members of her immediate family including two of her brothers, described life in the camp as terrible: “People queue to use the toilet provided by the ICRC. Many people, especially women, have contacted different kinds of diseases from the toilets.”
The IDPs have every reason to be angry. Relief materials delivered to their camps are grossly inadequate . Some have died due to hunger and poor medical care. Besides, they are desperate to return home, but killer herders still roam freely in their towns and villages. Some Plateau youths had earlier attacked Lalong at the Government House, Jos, over his alleged support for killer herders.
Governor Simon Lalong is the biggest disappointment as Plateau IDPs battle for survival. Lalong has evidently abandoned victims of herders’ attacks in Plateau State. He has been acting as if he’s one of the herders. This governor speaks more in support of the herders than his people. That was why IDPs at Geoscience camp, Jos South LG, pelted his convoy with stones few months back. I believe the people of this state know what to do in 2019.