World faces humanitarian failure in southern Sudan, U.N. warns

NAIROBI, Aug 30 (AFP) — The world could face a humanitarian failure if up to half a million refugees return to southern Sudan in the event of a final peace deal between rebels and government forces before the end of the year, the United Nations warned on Monday.

“What we are concerned, though, is that some of the displaced (people) from the south have started to go back because of the preliminary (peace) agreements. 100,000 have so far gone back so far this year,” Dennis McNamara, the special UN advisor on displacement, told a press conference in Nairobi.

McNamara said Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), a multi-agency body working in the country, estimates that another 100,000 are likely to leave Khartoum for the south this year even if a final peace settlement is not signed.

“If there is a peace settlement signed, it is estimated that up to 500,000 may flood back to the south of Sudan,” he said.

“We are not ready for that at all, we are not equipped, we are not on the ground, agencies are prepared (but) we don’t have the funds, donor interest is on Darfur, (and agencies) have diverted resources to Darfur, ” McNamara said, adding that “we need to steer up in the south.”

The southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudanese government have already agreed on all the contentious issues in peace talks in Kenya, aimed at ending 21 years of devastating conflict.

The war is southern Sudan erupted in 1983 when black African rebels took up arms to fight Khartoum-based Islamic governments. The war has claimed at least 1.5 million people and displaced more than four million others, with others fleeing to neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile in the western region of Darfur another conflict has left hudnreds of thousands in a precarious humanitarian situation.