Southern Sudan Operational highlights Persons of concern • UNHCR facilitated the return of more than 26,000 Please refer to the Sudan (annual programme) chapter refugees and over 4,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) to their places of origin. • The Government of Sudan and UNHCR signed Working environment tripartite agreements on the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees with the Governments of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement Congo and the Central African Republic. (CPA) between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan • The Office implemented more than 100 small People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) on community-based reintegration projects in areas with 9 January 2005 ended more than two decades of many returnees. The projects also benefited the conflict in Southern Sudan and raised hopes for the receiving communities. economic and social recovery of the country. Despite • UNHCR strengthened returnee monitoring and delays in the implementation of key aspects of the CPA, conducted 300 village assessments, which enabled the outlook today remains optimistic. refugees to receive timely and accurate information on conditions of return, besides allowing returnees to After the formation of the Government of National Unity and voice their protection concerns. the Government of Southern Sudan in September 2005, 218 UNHCR Global Report 2006 the United Nations and other organizations progressively Increased engagement with IDPs by UNHCR and its established their presence in Juba, the capital. partners and the establishment of State-based protection UNHCR’s operations, however, faced considerable working groups chaired by UNHCR helped to monitor challenges in 2006, most notably related to security. protection in areas where IDPs have settled. These Southern Sudan Although there has been relative peace in Southern protection networks collected information, raised Sudan, there has also been an increase in communal awareness of IDP issues among the authorities and conflict. Pockets of insecurity remain as a result of a provided channels for the displaced to voice their vacuum in the enforcement of law and order. protection concerns. A significant development in the latter Demobilization of militia groups remains incomplete; part of the year was the launch of the joint Government of landmines are still to be cleared; disputes over pay, National Unity, Government of Southern Sudan and United salaries and pensions are common; and attacks by the Nations return operation for IDPs from the north to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) or other armed groups south. UNHCR supported this process and is part of the continued to occur. joint planning task force and the high-level policy committee. Achievements and impact Activities and assistance Community services: UNHCR provided sanitary Main objectives materials and soap to some 7,000 women and girls of reproductive age in returnee and IDP communities in the UNHCR’s objectives in Southern Sudan were to facilitate States of Greater Equatoria, Upper Nile, Jonglei and the safe and dignified voluntary repatriation of Sudanese Lakes. Some 1,000 women, including pregnant women, refugees from countries of asylum; promote durable benefited from hygiene education and birth kits. solutions for returning refugees and IDPs through the implementation of community-based reintegration Some 2,000 IDPs and 30 police officers received projects; and address protection issues faced by training on the prevention of sexual and gender-based returning populations through interventions with the violence and HIV and AIDS, conflict resolution in local authorities. The Office also sought to lead the returnee communities and peacebuilding. About formulation of an inter-agency protection framework for 60 health-care workers were trained in HIV and AIDS Southern Sudan; and, under the coordination of the counselling and testing and the clinical management of United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), play an sexually transmitted diseases. Radio programmes were important role in assisting IDPs to return to and geared towards the prevention of sexual and integrate in Southern Sudan’s Central, Eastern and gender-based violence. Western Equatoria and Blue Nile States. Domestic needs and household support: UNHCR In view of the challenges still to be addressed, in July provided non-food items to returnees either in countries 2006, UNHCR revised its original repatriation target of of asylum or upon arrival in Sudan. Hospital tents were 58,000 returning refugees downwards to 30,400. procured and positioned at way stations in Alero, Bor, Juba, Malakal and Tambura to attend to the regular and emergency health-care needs of returning refugees. Protection and solutions Education: One hundred and eighty-three classrooms in In 2006, UNHCR facilitated the repatriation of some 42 schools were rehabilitated and over 700 school 26,000 Sudanese refugees. Of these, more than desks and chairs were distributed to primary schools, 21,000 were organized returns while nearly 5,000 while 67 schools received educational materials. More returned spontaneously but also received some than 200 teachers were given training; four vocational assistance from the Office. In addition, the Office colleges were rehabilitated; 181 female students facilitated the return of more than 4,000 Dinka Bor received assistance with school fees; 110 returnee IDPs from Yei through Juba to Bor. students were assisted in the payment of fees for end-of-school certificate examinations; and over Returnee monitoring was carried out in five States by 3,600 girls in village girls’ schools in Central and implementing partners. UNHCR and its partners conducted Western Equatoria received primary education through more than 1,000 individual interviews and group an accelerated learning programme. discussions, which were compiled in over 50 reports. This information helped the Office to intervene successfully to Food: WFP provided food to some 24,000 refugees who recover land for returnees and redress human rights returned to Southern Sudan and the Blue Nile State violations, particularly against women. These efforts during the year. Four thousand returnees in Lainya and contributed to a greater willingness on the part of Morobo counties in Central Equatoria were given Sudanese refugees to return home. additional food rations as they arrived too late for the UNHCR Global Report 2006 219 set up in Lainya and a production centre set up in Morobo. Financial support was given to the county education centre in Lainya. Several thousand refugee returnees benefited from these services. Legal assistance: UNHCR chaired the protection working groups in three of the ten States in Southern Sudan: Central Equatoria (Yei and Juba), Lakes State (Rumbek), and Upper Nile (Malakal). Sixty-five community-based protection training sessions were UNHCR/P. Butili. offered: 20 for local authorities, ten for NGO Alero way station in Yei, Southern Sudan, where refugees returning from the Democratic partners, ten for operational Republic of the Congo alight. partners and 20 for the local communities. Two hundred planting season. A small number of food-for-work projects village assessments were completed by UNHCR and five were implemented in communities in Central Equatoria, implementing partners, and a database created to which benefited over 2,000 people. Fifty small vegetable provide information to returnees and to complement gardens were supported in Western Equatoria. returnee monitoring. Forestry: UNHCR and its partners implemented training Operational support (to agencies): The administrative and awareness activities, which helped to increase the costs of 34 implementing partners were covered by environmental awareness of returnees, IDPs and local UNHCR to ensure timely and efficient service delivery to host communities. persons of concern. Health and nutrition: Returnees had access to the same Sanitation: More than 300 pit-latrines were constructed medical services as the local population. UNHCR’s field at way stations. In Malakal, UNHCR constructed a offices arranged referrals for returnees with serious water system and completed construction of shower medical conditions to Juba Teaching Hospital and in rooms and garbage pits. some cases to Khartoum. Returnees were sensitized about HIV and AIDS at way stations, and antiretroviral Shelter and infrastructure: To open repatriation treatment was available in Juba for those who tested corridors from Uganda, UNHCR constructed more than HIV positive. UNHCR is an active member of the HIV 12 kilometres of the road from Yei to Lasu and over four and AIDS Task Force that was established under the kilometres of the road from Yei to Kaya. auspices of the newly formed Southern Sudan Aids Commission based in Juba. Transport and logistics: A fleet of 45 trucks and 38 light vehicles were maintained for repatriation Ten voluntary counselling and testing sites managed by an operations. In addition, some 40,000 litrers of diesel international NGO in collaboration with county health and 15,000 litres of petrol were procured to run teams and church organizations were opened in Lainya, vehicles, motorcycles and generators. Morobo and Yei Counties in Central Equatoria State. Four hospitals were rehabilitated in Kapoeta, Maridi, Rumbek Water: UNHCR drilled and rehabilitated 75 boreholes in and Yei and two more expanded in Yei and Chukudum. Greater Equatoria, Jonglei and Upper Nile States. In Central and