![South Sudan information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth speaking in an interview with Eye Radio [Photo: screen-grab from interview with Eye Radio]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Michael-Makuei-Lueth-.png?resize=850%2C424&quality=80&ssl=1)
In statements to journalists yesterday, information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth said the repatriation of IDPs, and refugees is a voluntary process and cannot be forced if they are not willing to.
“There are people who say unless the displaced people and refugees are repatriated. Repatriation is a voluntary work ….. it is not compulsory. The government cannot go and tell the refugees in all the refugee camps ‘come here, go home’. That is not the case it is the refugee who would say I want to be repatriated, then we would repatriate him,” Makuei said.
“Even the displaced here in these camps, here in Juba, we cannot force them to go home if they don’t want [to], so that condition is not in place,” he added.
The senior government official said that Sudanese citizens were not forced to return to the country following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and that the 2010 elections were conducted without any impact.
Makuei said that the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under President Salva Kiir Mayardit is ready for elections and that other political groups and individuals who are not willing to join it is up to them.
“But for us as government and as SPLM in particular, we are going for an election; anybody who does not want to go is up to him or her,” he said.
The decision to hold elections without the repatriation of IDPs and refugees has been met with criticism from some quarters. The opposition has previously argued that the elections will be unfair if not all eligible voters are able to participate.
South Sudan is a young country that has been marred by conflict since its independence in 2011. A civil war broke out in 2013 and lasted for five years, displacing millions of people and causing widespread suffering. A peace agreement was signed in 2018, but the country remains fragile.
The 2024 elections are seen as a key test of the peace agreement. If the elections are held successfully, it will be a major step forward for the country. However, if the elections are marred by violence or irregularities, it could lead to a return to conflict.
The repatriation of IDPs and refugees is a complex issue. There are many factors that need to be considered, including security, the availability of resources, and the willingness of IDPs and refugees to return home. It is unclear how the government plans to address these issues.
