S. Sudan urges Uganda refugees to return for referendum census
Nov 12, 2006 (KAMPALA) — The government of South Sudan has dispatched a delegation to persuade thousands of its reluctant refugees in Uganda to return home. The delegation urged the rapid return of the refugees for next November census.
According to Ugandan Daily Monitor, Mr Etien Kouassi Lazare, the UNHCR Head of Sub Office in Kajo Keji, Sudan organized the 14-member team comprising government and NGO officials to update the exiles on the prevailing situation in their native land and inspire them to return.
The team leader, Emilio Igga Alimas, the commissioner for Magwi county in Eastern Equatoria State, told the refugee community in Ikafe settlement camp in Yumbe district on Saturday that they should get home quickly in order to be enumerated in the November 2007 general census so as to participate in the landmark (secession) referendum provided in the January 2004 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
“We are prepared to receive the returnees,” Alimas said.
In April 2006, the southern Sudan government released $24 mln to bankroll the arduous resettlement and reintegration exercise of returnees and IDPs, which is partly being executed by the Norwegian Church Aid.
“Generally you people (refugees) are still afraid and think the security situation is bad. Some of you think that when you go home you will be harassed or the property you acquired from Uganda would be looted which is not the case,” Alimas said.
UNHCR Country Reprehensive in Uganda Cindy Burns stopped the on-going voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from the country on October 20 after the deadly militia attacks on the Nimule-Juba Road.
“Nothing like this (attacks) will happen and there is also amnesty for all offences committed in the past. There must be forgiveness and reconciliation,” Alimas said.
Other high profile guests on the come-and-inform trip include Lafon County commissioner Luka Aribok, his Ikotos County counterpart Pasquale Angasi and Solomon Ocuko, the acting commissioner for Torit County, all in Eastern Equatoria state.
The officials unveiled a package of pleasantries including lucrative job opportunities for the lowly learned and availability of schools, roads and other social infrastructure in Sudan.
“The refugees must, however, recognize that from war, you can’t have everything at once. There are certain things they will have to do to improve their welfare and this is why they should return now,” Alimas said.
Barry Abdoulaye, the new UNHCR Head of Sub Office in Arua, said it was appropriate for the refugees to consider going back voluntarily because funds for the UN refugee agency to cater for them are dwindling.
(Daily Monitor)