11 April 2006 (Khartoum) – The Council of Southern Sudan chiefs in Khartoum is registering internally displaced persons living in the north for voluntary repatriation to their respective home states in southern Sudan.

Chairman of the Equatoria chiefs in Khartoum, Chief Mariano Raphael Mabor, says that the registration is being conducted in all the IDP camps around Khartoum.  In an interview with Sudan Radio Service last week, Chief Mabor appealed to the Governments of National Unity and Southern Sudan, as well as civil society organizations, to support the repatriation of IDP’s back to southern Sudan.

[Mariano Raphael]: “We in Khartoum state appeal to the Government of Sudan as a whole to help us in the process of voluntary repatriation of our citizens. It is our duty as chiefs to return our citizens to their ten states in southern Sudan. We go to all the camps in order to get facts about our IDP’s so that we can forward it to those ready to support our citizens and children who are present in Khartoum state.”

Chief Mariano urged the Government of Southern Sudan, county commissioners and governors of southern states to coordinate with chiefs across the south for quick repatriation of those willing to go back home.

Meanwhile, the SPLM in western Bahr el Ghazal state has offered to repatriate hundreds of IDP families living in Khartoum and other towns in northern Sudan.

Paramount Chief Joseph Biajo Joki says that the SPLM in Wau has accepted a request made by the Balanda community living in IDP camps in the north to repatriate 500 families from each tribe of western Bahr el Ghazal state.

Speaking in Khartoum at a meeting on repatriation, Chief Joki urged southern Sudanese chiefs to enlighten their people on the repatriation process.  He said the Balanda community is eager to return to their home area, but are unable to because of a lack of transport facilities. He appealed to the Government of Southern Sudan to assist the state government of Western Bahr el Ghazal to offer jobs and schools for the returning internally displaced persons.

The chief also called upon the members of his community to return to Wau, saying development and reconstruction cannot take place there without the full participation of the people.