Sudan vows sustainable solutions for voluntary return issues
August 12, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has decided to develop sustainable solutions to integrate, resettle and provide basic services for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Minister of Welfare and Social Security Mashai’r al-Dawalab on Sunday met with governors of Darfur’s five states in the presence of the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam.
The meeting reviewed a number of successful voluntary return experiences in Darfur and stressed the need to strengthen coordination among the various concerned bodies.
Also, the meeting called to form a unified intervention mechanism to develop water, health and education projects according to the technical agreements signed between the government and the competent organs.
The meeting further called to strengthen and activate humanitarian work coordination councils in the various states and provide sustainable solutions to all problems and challenges encountering humanitarian aid work.
Last June, Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam stated that the government has no plan to forcibly evicting the IDPs camps, but has set a number of options for IDPs, including resettlement in the area where they are, or in another area according to their desire.
Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.
However, IDPs representatives in several camps say they refuse to return to their areas before the disarmament of the armed militias and the evacuation of their land from the newcomers.
In a report released on 5 February, UNOCHA estimates there are about 386,000 returnees in Sudan conflict areas including Darfur and the Two Areas.
The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.
(ST)