316 IDPs return to Rumbek

By Manyang Mayom

April 30, 2007 (RUMBEK) — Lakes State government received 316 persons but State authorities still saying that other 99 IDPs are on way rolling to Rumbek before the end of this week end.

In statement released Friday 27 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said a great trip had led to Shambe using river transport to Yirol counties. The statement remarked that those IDPs will be given seeds by Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) for first New year cultivations.

In the welcoming steps, the commissioner of Rumbek Central County, Abraham Makoi Bol Kodi, and Coordinator of SSRRC, Philip Kot, including UNIOM and some UN representatives who attended the welcoming stage.

Lakes State IDPs were departed from Khartoum IDPs camps call Jabel Aulia to Rumbek using seven (7) big buses, one (1) spare passenger bus, ten (10) trucks with cargo and (1) one land cruiser of IOM escorting vehicle to Lakes State government for handing over the IDPs to their state government in Rumbek.

According to IOM, the second trips of IDPs will reach Rumbek sooner which consist of 99 persons and third trips will reached Rumbek later on from their IDPs camp Jabel Aulia centre.

During the welcome ceremony held by the Lakes State commissioner Abraham Makoi Bol brought out a first class bull called “Mabor” which resemble peace in Dinka culture to be slaughtered so that the IDPs could enjoy the peace fruitful in Southern Sudan by now.

Nevertheless, Lakes State local journalists of Radio Rumbek FM 98 aired some interviews to IDPs while rain was raining heavily. Among good number of IDPs some were shocked, saying that they had been to Northern Sudan for 24 years and few of them never saw Southern Sudan great paradize” official said.

(ST)