SUDAN: IDP RETURNS IN NORTHERN BAHR EL GHAZAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000954

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TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI KAWC SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: IDP RETURNS IN NORTHERN BAHR EL GHAZAL


KHARTOUM 00000954 001.2 OF 002


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Summary and Comment
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1. From April 10 to 12, a USAID representative visited
Aweil town and Malualkon, located in Aweil East County in
Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, to assess the status of
IDP returns. Overall, the U.N. is doing a good job
coordinating the humanitarian response, monitoring sector
coverage, and identifying gaps. Humanitarian agencies
expect an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 returnees to arrive
in Northern Bahr el Ghazal in 2006, which would result in
a 3.6 percent increase in the state's population. Both
spontaneous and organized returns are taking place from
Khartoum and South Darfur. The International
Organization for Migration (IOM),the U.N. World Food
Program (WFP),and other international agencies hope to
pre-position key structures and assistance before the
rains begin in May or June. End summary and comment.

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Partners Working Well Together
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2. From April 10 to 12, a USAID representative visited
Aweil East County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal to attend
the State Coordination Meeting in Aweil town and the
State Contingency Planning Meeting in Malualkon. The
U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) and the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission
(SRRC) hosted the meetings. The USAID representative
held additional individual meetings in each location with
State Ministry of Health, USAID partners, and
representatives of the humanitarian community, including
OCHA, IOM, the U.N. Children's Fund, the U.N. Development
Program, International Rescue Committee, Pact Inc.,
Tearfund, Concern, Cordaid, and Medecins Sans
Frontieres/France.


3. OCHA is coordinating the humanitarian response to
IDPs and returnees in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. OCHA
assesses sector coverage and attempts to plug gaps
through solicitation of donor funds and direction of
implementing partners. OCHA has developed a useful
"who's doing what where" activities matrix for Northern
Bahr el Ghazal. OCHA is also strongly encouraging NGOs to
apply for funding through the U.N. Central Emergency
Response Fund and the U.N. Common Humanitarian Fund.


4. OCHA estimates the current Northern Bahr el Ghazal
population to be approximately 1.1 million. The
estimates of the total number of returnees expected to
arrive in the state this year range from 20,000 to
70,000. The most likely figure is around 35,000 to
40,000, with approximately 10,000 settling in and around
urban areas. The arrival of 40,000 returnees this year
would result in a 3.6 percent increase in the population.

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Returns: Spontaneous, Organized, and Mixed
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5. IOM is assisting the spontaneous return of an
estimated 4,500 returnees from the Khartoum area. These
returnees have temporarily settled in and around the
areas of Kalama and Kiir Galama. In the first two days
of this operation, which began on April 10, IOM assisted
with the transport of more than 700 returnees to Jaac,
from which point returnees can proceed to outlying areas
on their own. WFP is providing 15-day full rations to
these returnees. IOM is registering the returnees by
intended destination and plans to continue the operation
until all who have been registered have been transported
to their home areas within the state.


6. Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has organized returns
from the Khartoum area in conjunction with the GNU,
without consulting the U.N. The U.N. is providing
limited assistance, as U.N. policy is not to become
involved with organized returns unless the U.N. has
participated in planning the returns process from the

KHARTOUM 00000954 002.2 OF 002


onset. To date, an estimated 4,000 IDPs from the
Khartoum area have returned to Aweil town, even though
the majority is not from Aweil town. Field sources
reported that transporters claimed that returns
organizers made no distinction between Aweil East, Aweil
North, Aweil West, Aweil South, and Aweil Central
Counties. As a result, this group of returnees was
transported to Aweil town. A tense situation followed
the delivery of the returnees to Aweil town without any
preparation to assist them; however, tensions have abated
and most returnees have decided to continue to their home
areas with some assistance from humanitarian agencies.


7. Separate efforts are underway to facilitate the
return of IDPs currently South Darfur back to Northern
Bahr el Ghazal. Humanitarian agencies estimate that as
many as 10,000 IDPs from Northern Bahr el Ghazal
currently in South Darfur will be registered. Agencies
will help as many of these IDPs as possible return prior
to the onset of the rainy season. This is the only
organized return to Northern Bahr el Ghazal that the U.N.
will fully support prior to the May and June rains.
Registration of an initial group of 3,000 started in mid-
April. USAID partner Concern will provide boats to
assist with river crossings in and near Nyamlel, in Aweil
West County.


8. Another large returnee group, as large as 2,000
according to SRRC estimates (NGOs from Aweil North and
West say this estimate is high),that has settled in the
Gok Machar area of Aweil North. The Gok Machar group
appears to include those who returned spontaneously as
well as via organized efforts. NGOs and the U.N. are
assessing the situation and will respond as appropriate.
WFP claims to have enough food for this group. Shelter
seems to be the biggest immediate need as most of the
group is camping under trees.

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Humanitarian Preparedness
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9. U.N. agencies and NGOs are working together to
accomplish critical tasks in the coming weeks before the
rains. IOM plans to complete the way station in Warawar,
near Malualkon, by April 21. WFP has pre-positioned 16
rubhalls in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. WFP is satisfied
that it will have enough food pre-positioned prior to the
onset of the rainy season to meet the emergency food
needs in the state for both residents and returnees. The
NGO Cordaid will distribute WFP rations in Aweil West and
Aweil North Counties, and World Vision will distribute
WFP rations in Aweil South and Aweil East Counties.

STEINFELD