2,822 Returnees Arrive In Juba From Khartoum

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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South Sudan woke up to a jubilant mood yesterday when they witnessed the arrival of 2,822 returnees from Khartoum. Women and men shade tears of joy while their children watched with amazement during their reception in Juba.

The returnees were received by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and the Chairperson for the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.

A woman shouted on top of her voice from the berge saying, “I have always hoped to see South Sudan and am happy to see it today, happy people, green environment, I love my country!”

Also boarding the barge was Chief Stephen Badi Buya, a Western Equatorian from Mvolo County. “We travelled for 18 days under difficult conditions but we have arrived safely. No one died so far however we had four children born on the way,” Chief Badi said.

“The Government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) should improve the conditions for some of our brothers who are still behind, because they lack enough food and medicine on the way, ” the Chief added..

The mother of one of the babies, Everlyn Arkangilo said she was very happy to have delivered successfully, “I gave birth to a baby girl this morning, and she has not been named yet.”   

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in the Government of South Sudan, Hon. Joseph Lual Acuil welcomed the returnees to South Sudan and said that the Ministry still had a huge task of transporting over 400,000 Internally Displaced Person (IDPs) still in Sudan before April 2012 as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

“As from tomorrow, we are going to ferry at least 3,000 returnees from Sudan,” the Minister said.

The Ministry faces many challenges since the returnees need assistance before they can fend themselves according to the Minister, “I urge the returnees to know that they are not foreigners here in South Sudan, this is their country. They should do their best to make sure that they are comfortable.” 

The Chairperson for South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in the Government of South Sudan, Mr. Duer Tut Duer was not happy with the way some leaders were handling returnees in their States by not proving land for their resettlement. He urged State authorities to receive the returnees well.

“Some of the governors and commissioners are refusing to allocate plots to the returnees. We appreciate the efforts done in some States in allocating plots of land for them, we ask the 3 States of greater Equatoria to do the same. I appreciate the way the community has received them too,” Tut said.

The IOM head of operations in South Sudan, Fabien Sambussy called for cooperation between the government and the United Nations agencies. “We have to keep in mind that a lot of people are still in Sudan and a lot are facing difficulties, if we all work together we will be able to transport all returnees back home,” said Sambussy.

The returnees expect the Government of South Sudan to deliver services to them, the warehouse is full of returnees whose belongings have not yet arrived, there are some at the duke and now 2,822 have arrived and more are still at port of Renk and Kosti waiting to leave Khartoum. This is a challenge for the Government of South Sudan to handle before the rains start.