Sudan, UN to repatriate refugees in Chad

KHARTOUM, Sept 28, 2003 (dpa) — The Sudanese government is to begin, in collaboration with the United Nations, repatriating Sudanese refugees in Chad, the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) said Sunday.

It quoted a diplomatic source at the Sudanese embassy in Ndjamena as stating international organizations had begun distributing food items to refugees in eastern Chad.

Sources at the embassy estimated that between 35,000 and 65,000 people had escaped war in the troubled Darfur region and sought refuge in Chad.

The source declined to reveal means of the repatriation, but the embassy added that U.N. personnel in Ndjamena had gathered the refugees in four camps, prior to repatriation to Sudan.

Repatriation programme of refugees was stipulated in the provision of a ceasefire agreement signed between Sudan’s government and the Drafur-based rebel Sudanese Liberation Movement.

Meanwhile, Sudanese detectives Sunday departed to Ndjamena investigate the killing of prominent Sudanese businessman Omer Idris Yousif, who was shot dead by on unknown gunmen on Friday.