IDPs fear return as soldiers still occupy homes

JUBA, JANUARY 25^th 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s peace-monitoring body, the Ceasefire & Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring & Verification Mechanism (CTSAM-VM), has revealed that citizens displaced by the deadly conflict fears to return to their homes because soldiers are still occupying their houses.

Lt-Gen Asrat Denero Amad, (CTSAM-VM) said during a meeting in Juba on Wednesday that the continued occupation of civilian buildings by members of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) discourages IDPs from returning home.

“CTSAMVM wishes to remind the SSPDF that continual occupation of civilian areas discourages the return of civilians to their villages, whom they are supposed to protect,” he said during the CTSAM-VM meeting held in Juba on Wednesday.

Gen. Denero said dozens of civilians’ homes were still occupied by government forces.

“On the issue of occupied civilian buildings, the total number of occupied civilian buildings by SSPDF or other government security forces remains at 12,” he said.

Ethiopian ex-army general did not indicate the locations of the buildings that were being occupied.

He added that the occupation of houses by government soldiers was preventing the resumption of normal life.