Jonglei plans to receive 15,000 returnees from Khartoum

May 14, 2012 (BOR) – At least 15,000 South Sudanese returnees from Sudan are expected to arrive in Jonglei State within the month, according to the state director of the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.

Deng Jak told Sudan Tribune in an isolated interview on Monday, that his office has conducted series of meetings with humanitarian partners to see how the returnees can be helped in terms of food aid and other issues.

“Plans are underway to prepare for their receptions and their reintegration into their counties and payams [districts]”, Ajak said.

Ajak indicated their stores in Bor have what he called “preposition food” to give to them upon their arrival saying the much of the food aid allocated to them will be distributed in the areas where they settle.

On Friday 11 May, over 2,000 returnees arrived in Bor. The returnees proceeded to Juba where they will be dispersed to their areas of origin.

Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese were displaced Khartoum in North Sudan and neighbouring countries in the region during decades of civil war. The war ended in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the former rebels the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) and Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

South Sudan became independent on 9 July after the 98 percent of its people voted for secession in plebiscite granted by the CPA. Sudan revoked the citizenship of all South Sudanese after independence but was persuaded by the international community to allow a nine month grace period, which ended in April.

Since October 2010 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has, as of 8 May 2012, verified the return of 376,226 people. There are estimated to be around half a million South Sudanese still in Sudan.

Of these, 12,000-15,000 have been stranded in the town of Kosti in Sudan’s White Nile State, waiting for barges to take them up the Nile into South Sudan. Khartoum accuses Juba of commandeering over 30 vesicles for military use. Juba complains that Sudan has closed the border since last year.

The IOM now plans to return the South Sudanese stranded in Kosti to Khartoum and then fly them to Juba. It is currently campaigning for the funds to able to complete the operation.

According to UN reports, the governor of White Nile State has appealed to the IOM and UN agencies to complete moving South Sudanese returnees out of his state no later than 20 May.

On Monday 14 flights carrying returnees arrived in Juba carrying around 400 people the director of Khartoum International Airport, Salah Salam, said on the South Sudan Radio Service.

Salam said the delay in the flights were due to late arrival of air crew from Saudi Arabia to Khartoum.

(ST)