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Sudan Tribune

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South Sudan approves $12.5 million repatriation budget for displaced persons

By Julius N. Uma

October 13, 2010 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has approved a $30m SDG (around $12.5m) budget to boost the planned repatriation of internally displaced southern Sudanese living in the north, James Kok Ruea, the humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister said Tuesday.

James Kok Ruea the humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister addressing journalists at Juba airport, South Sudan, Oct. 12, 2010 (ST)
James Kok Ruea the humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister addressing journalists at Juba airport, South Sudan, Oct. 12, 2010 (ST)
On 9 January 2011 the south is due to hold a self-determination referendum, which could see the south become a new independent country.

A council of ministers, he said, endorsed the budget following a comprehensive proposal on the status of internally displaced southerners in the north, presented by the newly-created ministry.

Minister Kok, who had just returned from meeting his counterpart in the federal government, said that all modalities have been put in place to ensure a successful repatriation exercise.

Pressed to elaborate further on these mechanisms, the minister said a technical committee had already been formed to oversee the registration of all southerners willing to return to the region.

“While in Khartoum, we met various local chiefs representing the internally displaced persons in the north. They agreed to help in the selection and registration of people willing to return to the south,” he said.

The minister praised the federal government for its interventions during the worsening flood situations in the south, where an estimated 50,000 people were displaced by heavy rains in various parts of the autonomous region.

Apart from donations, which he said ranged from food items, shelter and other cooking utensils, the minister underscored the federal government’s efforts in helping south Sudan set up information technology and early warning systems.

“With this [early warning systems] in place, the ministry will be able to detect any unforeseen natural calamities such as floods and hence inform people. This will help our people unlike when they are taken unaware,” Kok told journalists at Juba airport.

Recently, southern Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit appealed to the southerners the turn up in large number and register to vote in the January referendum on possible southern independence.

The referendum is a key requirement within Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended over two-decades of a civil war between the Arab-Muslim dominated north and the south populated by Christians and those with traditional African beliefs.

The UN estimates that around 2 million people died during the civil war and about 4 million were displaced.

(ST)

5 Comments

  • The Living Witness
    The Living Witness

    Sudan South approves $12.5 million repatriation budget for displaced persons
    At this level, GOSS must engage in immediate repetration as soon as possible, most especially the IDPs at the outskirts of khartoum and several other states in the extreme end of the north. This will secure better number and reduction in massive martyrdom by the talibans.

    And for those in Egypt, we still need them quicikly too since they are just in the hands of the exterminators.
    Please, GOSS.. the possible months for resettling this number of our poeple must be from today and through the few months before the expiry date of the legal paper.
    God protect my poeple.

    Reply
  • okucu pa lotinokwan
    okucu pa lotinokwan

    Sudan South approves $12.5 million repatriation budget for displaced persons
    MR Minister KOK alway you are full of saying repatriation of IDP in the north to the south but no action done,go to Kosti by now and see how some southerners who has money to transort themselve are doing.
    Please,please Mr Minister i do believe every southerners in the north sudan want to come and vote for the referendum but the delayer is from your ministery.

    Reply
  • makuei
    makuei

    South Sudan approves $12.5 million repatriation budget for displaced persons
    Yes, bring them back home. Thanks to GoSSfor facilitating their repatriation. We can’t do without them. They are part of our population & their presence will increase the might of our weapon (vote) in the struggle for self rule.

    Raphael

    Reply
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