By NNN-ENA
Addis Ababa : The United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced resumption of the repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia as of 15 Dec. 2007 with a first group of 613 refugees leaving the Bonga Camp located in western Ethiopia.
The UN agency told ENA in a statement on Friday that it would repatriate some 1,800 Sudanese refugees from Bonga Camp to the Blue Nile State of South Sudan until the end of 2007 in collaboration with the Ethiopian government, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and World food Program (WFP).
The repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia was started in March 2006, it said, more than 21,000 were assisted to go home before the operation was temporarily halted in May 2007 due to the rainy season and swampy road conditions.
“With the resumption of the return …we expect to assist the return of approximately 30,000 Sudanese refugees between now and 2008,” the statement quoted UNHCR Regional Liaison Representative for Africa, IIunga Ngandu as saying.
Ngandu said the repatriation of the refugees would enable UNHCR to close at least two of the four refugee camps sheltering Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.
The returnees will receive a reintegration package of blankets, jerry cans, sleeping mats, a water filter and a sanitary kit, including plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, plastic buckets, kitchen utensil and soap.
Upon arrival in Sudan a reintegration package comprising three months of food, seeds and agricultural tools will be provided by the WFP and FAO, according to the statement.
At the moment Ethiopia hosts 36,850 Sudanese refugees in four camps as well as thousands of refugees from Eritrea and Somalia.