Vulnerable returnees arrive in Rumbek, Lakes state

By Manyang Mayom

December 20, 2010 (RUMBEK) – The government of Lakes state have received 36 returnees from Khartoum on Monday, most of whom are disabled, blind and elderly, according to, Lakes state minister of Legal Affairs, Margaret Samuel Aru.

The returnees were received from Rumbek airport by Lakes state Governor Chol Tong Mayay with his cabinet and Lakes State Assembly speaker John Marik Makur.

This is the first arrival of displaced people in Rumbek, the capital of Lakes state, from Khartoum, apart from 380 people who arrived on Monday after travelling on 21 buses.

Minister Aru added that the state government had hired five aircraft to return internally displaced people (IDPs) from Khartoum to Rumbek before the south’s referendum on independence.

She said lack of funds is hampering the return of IDPs from Khartoum but they hope to return more people before voting in the plebiscite begins on January 9.

The referendum was agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended over two decades of civil war between Sudan’s north and south. The UN estimates that 2 million people were killed in the conflict and 4 million people forced to flee their homes. Many fled to neighboring countries but over a million moved to Sudan’s capital Khartoum.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune at Rumbek airport Aru said: “They are 36 returnees and most of them are disable people and we have five flights, this is the first flight to arrive Rumbek today. There is lack of fund between humanitarian affair and the commission but we thank god everything is OK”.

She called upon lakes state people around the world to come back home to share building the state’s future.

The south is widely expected to opt to secede from the north and become independent in January’s vote.

(ST)