UN resumes repatriation of South Sudanese refugees
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
December 15, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — UNHCR today said it will resume repatriating hundreds of Sudanese refugees after the process has been temporary blocked due to heavy rain season and swamp road conditions for the past 7 months.
“First group of 613 Sudanese refugees will return home today from Bonga camp situated in western Ethiopia” UNHCR regional Liaison representative for Africa Lunga Ngandu said
Following 21 years long disastrous civil war in Sudan, some 80 thousand southern Sudanese refugees has arrived Ethiopia in 1983 and in 1990s.
Today’s reparation is part of the tripartite agreement signed on February 27, 2006 among UNHCR, Sudan and Ethiopia.
“1800 Sudanese refugees will be repatriated to the blue Nile state of south Sudan till the end of 2007” Nganda said adding” we expect to return some 30,000 Sudanese refuge till the end of 2008”
According to UNHCR statement released, the current repatriation of 613 Sudanese refugees will let UNHCR to shut down two of the total 4 refugee camps sheltering the brotherly Sudanese refugees.
Currently a total of 36,850 Sudanese refugees are sheltered in 4 refugee’s camps under the assistance of UNHCR, WFP and Ethiopian government.
Upon arrival at home, the returnees will be provided with rehabilitating aids which include 3 months of food supply and agricultural tools which comes from FAO and WFP.
Since March 2006, over 21,000 Sudanese refugees are return home through joint efforts of international organization for refuge (IOM), UNHCR and Ethiopian government.
(ST)