SRRC says not recruiting foreigners in Southern Sudan
By Isaac Vuni
Marc 2, 2007 (TORIT) — Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SRRC) have nothing to do with recruitment and employment of foreigners in various positions in southern Sudan government, the Deputy Director for SRRC Development and Reconstruction, Rex Olum, has said.
Responding to questions from conferees that SRRC gives priority to none Sudanese for employment even at a time when there are qualified Sudanese, Olum said issuance of visa and working permit to Kenyan and Ugandan are being handled by senior officials at a very high level of government of southern Sudan than SRRC.
Joseph Abakala, Director General of Local Government Administration in Eastern Equatoria state accused SRRC of hindering service deliver to returnees through the state by complicating effective management of IDPs and returnees repatriation. He says there is lack of coordination between the SRRC and the state governments.
Meanwhile Mrs. Madelena Oduho revealed that volunteers returnees repatriated from Kakuma camp have gone back because there was no proper reception accorded to returnees by SRRC to enable them to rehabilitate themselves after losing every thing they had during the cause of 22 years of civil war in southern Sudan.
She said on arrival, the returnees are only provided with 450 grams of serial, 50 grams oil, 30 grams salt and 30 grams sugar then left to fend for themselves.
On the other hand, conferees have had sadly noted that senior GoSS government officials are sending their family members for resettlement to America, Canada or Australia through Uganda and Kenya. “I wondered what the reason behind this is?” ask Mrs. Oduho
The Commissioner of Torit County, Col. Massimino Alam says the words voluntary repatriation is disturbing so much among southern Sudanese refugees willing to return to their respective homes because on arrival the returnees get very poor reception, hardly nothing is given to resettle them because they are believed to have come on voluntary basis.
Col. Alam say a committee should be form and sends to Kenya and Uganda refugee’s camps to register refugees from their respective counties in order to avoid other refugees from Joungle state who are claiming to belong to Eastern Equatoria state and are being resettle in Kapoeta east and north counties through the SRRC.
He further said there should be a massive repatriation of southern Sudanese including those in IDPs camps in northern Sudan. The Col. Alam demanded that Kakuma camp be closed by the end of this year. Meanwhile the chairman of southern Sudan peace commission said there must be a political will and commitment from the Goss regarding IDPs and refugees repatriation.
Otherwise, Kok say there are so many funny things happening in SRRC that would requires GoSS to explain on its policy to UNHCR including Sudanese refugees in various camps, especially in Ugandan and Kenya in order to return and participate in the scheduled census of November 2007 which is vital for planning and constituency creation in the whole of southern Sudan comes 2008 election
Wet Simon said SRRC should ensured that all foreigners entering southern Sudan are screen and have legal documents from their respective countries than simply allowing Kenyan and Ugandan to become Sudanese by acquiring Sudanese nationality card at SRRC support.
(ST)