Gov’t plans to repatriate refugees, IDPS

JUBA – The government of South Sudan said it is planning to start the voluntary repatriation and integration of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are about 4.5 million displaced people from South Sudan seeking refuge in Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Speaking to reporters in Juba on Wednesday, Ateny Wek Ateny, Press Secretary in the Office of the President, said the country is safe enough for the return of refugees in order to carry out a census which will lead to elections due in 2023.

“This time windows allows the authorities to conduct census, repatriate refugees and displaced people,” Wek told journalists during a press conference in response to U.S Senate hearing allegations by Dr. Peter Biar Ajak.

Wek called on international donors to help support and facilitate the return of refugees to South Sudan.

“Repatriations of IDPs and refugees require time and money and that is why the government is calling for help from the international community to ensure that in the process for implementation of peace agreement, people return homes,” he said.

“People should return to their homes particularly the IDPs and those outside our borders like Kakuma refugees camps and all other camps even before Kenyan government said they wanted to close the camp; this is already under the government plans,” he added.