[Anglican Alliance] After decades of conflict and displacement, returnees from Sudan to South Sudan are facing huge difficulties to restart their lives. According to the United Nation Office for the Organisation of Humanitarian Affairs, around 123.000 people have returned this year (Humanitarian Bulletin 3 – 9 September).

Despite the raising of hopes for going back home, the situation for people arriving is very complicated. The relief and development coordinator of the Diocese of Rejaf, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Mr Bullen Pitya, explains how returnees could not bring along their things, as they were flown from Sudan to Juba with minimum personal belongings.

They have been temporarily accommodated in a transit camp at Kabu, at the outskirts of Juba town, in the compound of a Teachers’ Training Institute. The returnees are expected to continue their journey and resettle in their villages, or towns of origin. However, as many of them had lived in Khartoum for a long time, over a period of 21 years of war, they do not seem to know their original villages.

Returnees have been asked to vacate the installation of the training institute within few weeks.  The Central Equatoria State has provided a new land, the Kuda village in the north of Juba town, for their permanent resettlement. The International Organisation for Migration is providing the transport to their new home but they do not have anything to restart their life since they left all behind.

The diocese of Rejaf is asking for support to help South Sudanese returnees who are in urgent need. They are planning to implement a plan, available here.