UNHCR prepares large-scale repatriation of Sudan refugees

GENEVA/KHARTOUM, Nov. 11, 2003 (dpa) — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees prepared Tuesday for a large-scale repatriation of refugees to Sudan set to become one of the most difficult projects in its more than 50-year history.

Owing to widespread destruction and weak infrastructure in southern Sudan, the operation would be one of the most challenging, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said in Geneva.

More than half-a-million Sudanese refugees from neighbouring countries were to return home voluntarily as soon as a long-awaited peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) led by John Garang was signed.

The plans included the provision of education, water, health and other necessary services for the returnees on their arrival home.

UN High Commissioner for Refugeees Ruud Lubbers, who is on a two- day official visit to Sudan, discussed funding plans with Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir earlier Tuesday to assess the humanitarian needs for the post-war period and to settle the issue of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.

Talks with the Sudanese government will focus later on concluding the repatriation of 300,00 refugees from Eritrea begun in 2001.

Al-Bashir told reporters Tuesday that Lubbers had made world level calls to help subsidize the U.N.’s strategy on Sudan.

The UNHCR revealed that Sudanese refugees in six neighbouring countries numbered 572,061. Uganda hosts 223,079, followed by Ethiopia with 88,194, Democratic Republic of Congo 69,473 and Kenya 59,500 in addition to Egypt 30,324 and Eritrea 661.

Lubbers was to go Wednesday to Rumbek, a rebel stronghold town in southern Sudan, to discuss preparations for the rebels to resettle the returnees with the SPLA.