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South Sudan: Handicap International and Atlas Logistique accompany returning refugees

21/02/2006

Handicap International and Atlas Logistique (1), in partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), are starting work in the Bor region, South Sudan. The project aims to facilitate the return and assist displaced populations and refugees.

Over the course of two decades of war, 4 million South-Sudanese people have been displaced and over 500,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries (Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia). Following the 2005 peace agreements, large numbers of South-Sudanese are expected to return to their areas of origin.

Following a joint evaluation in late 2005, Handicap International and Atlas Logistique are setting up an joint programme to support safe massive population movements that will take place before the rainy season in May.

The programme initially consists of taking on the overall running of the Bor temporary transit centre. This centre will be a strategic hub for displaced people coming from South Sudan, North Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. Displaced people will be registered there and will be accommodated for a few days, before continuing their journey to their place of origin.

Atlas Logistique will take responsibility for the logistical management of the transit centre (i.e. set up, sanitary system, maintenance etc.). The people arriving from Juba via the Nile will be transported to the centre. On site, food distribution and medical assessments will be undertaken, with particular attention paid to the most vulnerable, especially disabled people. Before leaving, everyone will be given food and items to fulfil their basic needs.

It is estimated that several million landmines have been laid in South Sudan. Unexploded bombs and cluster bombs also pose a significant threat. People crossing unfamiliar areas are particularly vulnerable. Experience has shown that programmes to raise awareness of these dangers are the quickest and most effective means of saving lives. Since 2005, Handicap International and the UNHCR have been running projects like this among South-Sudanese refugees in Kenya. The organisation will quickly extend these to Sudan itself, targeting other migrant population groups. Handicap International will also establish rehabilitation projects for disabled people, and is looking into the possibility of starting a demining programme.

The urgency of this project and the numbers of people concerned make it a real humanitarian challenge. The project aims to bring an appropriate and global solution to the problem of returning populations and refugees, and demonstrates in a very practical way the complementarity of Handicap International and Atlas Logistique. The stakes are raised even higher by the possibility that this large-scale population return will make South Sudan's already critical humanitarian situation even more fragile, compromising the long-awaited period of rebuilding infrastructures, administration and civil society.

(1) Handicap International and Atlas Logistique are in the process of formalising a merger.