N.Bahr El Ghazal sets up committee to handle returnees
By Hou Akot Hou
Authorities in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State on Wednesday set up committee to oversee the influx of South Sudanese fleeing conflict across the border with neighboring Sudan.
William Anyuon Kuol, the Minister of Information in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State said the committee will be charged with assessing the needs of thousands of returnees in Aweil North County.
“The committee that we are setting up will go to areas of Jaac, and Majok-Yithiou where thousands of displaced people have arrived to help provide their basic needs,” Kuol told journalists in Aweil town.
He said they are going to ensure that these people are integrated into the civil population, adding that they are not interested in keeping them in internally displaced camps.
“The government does not plan to have them in camps. The committee will ensure that they are registered and their details taken so that they are easily traced,” Kuol said.
Most of the arrivals fled conflict in Darfur and South Kordofan regions of Sudan.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan which has left more than 430 people killed, and over 3000 injured erupted on April 15th due to disagreement between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
SAF leader Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan had requested the RSF under Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti to have his RSF integrated into the national army within two years.
Hemedti instead preferred his forces to be integrated within 10-year period.
The two leaders also disagreed on the transition to civilian rule.
Sudan hosts over 800,000 refugees from South Sudan who were displaced by conflicts since December 2013.
