Repatriation of Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia started Saturday
February 24, 2008 (GAMBELLA) — Ethiopian authorities announced today the resumption of the voluntary repatriation of the Sudanese refugees from different regions to Sudan.
Ethiopian Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) told the official news agency ENA voluntary repatriation of close to 27,000 among 36,000Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia is resumed on Saturday February 23.
The stated number of refuges would be repatriated to their home land from four refugee camps in Gambella and Benishanmgul Gumuz States, Estifanos Gebremedhin, head of Eastern Region Refugee Camps Coordination office with ARRAsaid.
The repatriation of refugees is being conducted jointly by United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR), the agreement the Ethiopian and Sudanese governments reached and the request of the refugees themselves. IOM has been mandated to transport the refugees across the border and to carry out their pre-departure medical screening.
More than 23,000 Sudanese refugees have been helped to return to their former homes in Sudan by IOM and its partners since March 2006 with the first departure of 502 Uduk returnees from Bonga refugee camp to Kurmuk.
Some 600 returning refugees were repatriated to Chali-El Fiel in the Blue Nile State on a road convoy which marked the beginning of the 2008 repatriation season from Ethiopia.
Estifanos said that there are plans to close Dimma and Bonga refugee camps in Gambella State within three months time.
The head said that the Administration has repatriated more than 20,000 Sudanese refugees to their home land over the past year.
(ST)