South Sudan’s Kiir urges IDPs, refugees to return home
February 22, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has urged refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes across the country.
He president made the call while meeting representatives of the IDPs and refugee leaders from various camps across the country on Wednesday.
A statement from the presidency said Kiir’s session with IDPs was organized under the theme, “Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Peace and Resettlement aimed at promoting the spirit of unity amongst the people of South Sudan”.
“For those who will opt to return to their habitual areas of residence, the government will provide security and would work jointly with partners to organise logistics around what is needed to resettle successfully in those areas. Equally, for those who cannot go back to their areas of residence, we have spoken to authorities in states where IDPs camps are located to set aside land to resettle them. I must add that this land, when designated, must be allocated to IDPs and IDPs only,” it read in part.
The South Sudanese leader urged the IDPs and refugees to return back to their respective areas of origin or opt to be resettled in the capital, Juba.
He assured them of security while calling on international partners to support government in reintegrating returnees back to their communities.
“We know that about 2.3 million of our people still live in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. With peace implementation moving towards the final phase where elections will end the transitional period, repatriating our people from camps in neighbouring countries should top our agenda,” Kiir.
The Central Equatoria State governor, Emmanuel Adil Anthony assured the IDPs of maximum security while stressing that homes confiscated during the 2013 and 2016 crises be returned to rightful owners.
He urged the IDPs to stand with President Kiir for peace and stability to reign.
During the session with IDPs, various leaders and representatives reaffirmed their full support and commitment towards the implementation of revitalized peace agreement, urging the government to provide them land to resettle and other basic needs such as water, food and health services.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says more than 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.
(ST)