Sudanese refugees continue to arrive in Ethiopia from B. Nile – UN
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
March 30, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) – Newly displaced Sudanese from the conflict in Blue Nile state continue to arrive in neighbouring Ethiopia despite conflicting reports of improved stability and large-scale refugees repatriation.
However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Ethiopia said on Friday said the country has continued to receive thousands of new arrivals from the troubled Blue Nile state.
UNHCR public information officer, Natalia Prokopchuk, today told Sudan Tribune that fighting in Blue Nile state continues to drive Sudanese into Ethiopia. She said 1,700 refugees arrived in Ethiopia on 22 March alone.
According to the new arrivals, they were forced to flee from their villages because of rising tensions between Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement–North (SPLA/M-N) rebels and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).
They said they expected more people from their home areas to join them in exile in Ethiopia.
Abas said last week said that the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) program was well under-way and described the situation in the state as “calm“. UNHCR doubts his claim.
“While UNHCR no longer has a presence in the Blue Nile because of the insecurity there, the continued arrival of refugees and their testimonies seem to indicate deteriorating conditions in their place of origin” Natalia told Sudan Tribune.
Between June 2011 and mid-March 2012, UNHCR and the Ethiopian government have registered 26,899 Sudanese refugees in two camps and one transit centre.
The majority of the refugees are being accommodated in facilities in Tongo, Sherkole and Admazine.
Since fighting between SAF and the SPLA/M-N erupted in 2011, displaced Sudanese have been crossing borders into Ethiopia at an average rate of 200-300 a day.
SPLA/M-N is also fighting as part of a rebel coalition in South Kordofan where their conflict began with the disputed appointment of the current governor, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity; Ahmed Haroun.
The rebel coalition, the Sudan Revolutionary Force (SRF), poses a significant problem for Khartoum; it is calling for regime change, by force if necessary, and has gained some political support from senior members of the influential opposition parties, the Umma Party and Democratic Unionist Party. The SRF includes the Darfurian groups; the Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan People’s Liberation Army–Minni Minnawi and Sudan People’s Liberation Army–Abdel Wahid al-Nur, as well as the SPLA/M-N.
(ST)