South Sudan establishes commission for refugee affairs

May 11, 2013 (JUBA) – The Republic of South Sudan has established a Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) as hundreds of thousands of refugees have entered the new republic from the neighbouring countries.

Most of the refugees fled from the neighbouring Republic of Sudan due to the conflicts in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Others come from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), Ethiopia and Uganda.

The refugees are mzinly concentrated in the four states of Upper Nile, Unity, Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria, out of which 170,000 are resettled in Upper Nile state alone.

Barnaba Marial Benjamin, official spokesperson of the government, on Friday said South Sudan’s cabinet in response to the fast increasing number of refugees passed the organization’s structures and logo for the establishment of the new institution.

The Commission was established by a presidential decree in accordance with the South Sudan’s Refugee Act, 2013.

It will establish its headquarters in Juba and open branches in the states. The new institution will regulate the presence of refugees and their legal status in the Republic of South Sudan.

Millions of South Sudanese including the current leadership were either displaced to the northern region in the current Sudan or had gone for refuge in the neighbouring countries during the decades of war; an experience which perhaps easily made them sympathize with the situation of the new refugees.

(ST)