More than 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State have voluntarily decided to return to their homes.
The IDPs who were sheltering at Hai Masna Biira Protection of Civilian Site made the decision after security situation improved in their areas.
Masna Biira Protection of Civilian Site was established by the UN agencies in 2016 following the outbreak of violence in Wau town, forcing residents to flee their homes.
Since its establishment, the camp hosted 11,000 IDPs. However currently only around 3,000 IDPs remain at the site due to recent stability in security situation.
On Wednesday, several UN agencies and Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) officials witnessed a high number of people registering for the voluntarily return to their homes.
Speaking during the launch of the voluntary return of the IDPs, Greater Bahr el Ghazal Regional Head office of OCHA, Yusuf Salah welcomed the move saying the agencies will continue supporting those who voluntary return to their homes.
“As we speak to today, we have around 3,000 IDPs still in the camp and out these, 1,500 have expressed their voluntarily to return to their original places,” said Salah.
He said the IDPs were being provided with transport and upkeep packages by International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
“We have agreed as partners to follow up the concerns raised by IDPs and address any gaps identified if they return to their areas,” Salah added.
Salah said the move was sustainable to those who were sheltering in the camps and had opted to voluntarily return to their homes.
State Chairperson of RRC, Barhsam Musa Ayaga hailed the IDPs move adding that the government will continue to provide security and safety to the returnees.
“Today is a great day to me. our people have accepted to go back to their original areas, as RRC chairperson, I appreciate this work done through the NGOs,” said Ayaga.
Some of the returnees expressed their joy to return home and called on NGOs to continue supporting them.
Grace Michael Magot said, “I was in Masna camp and I decided to return to my place after seven years and am now returning to my place in Nazareth area. I thank IOM for supporting us with transport cash”.
Each returnee IDP received SSP66,000 for transport and SSP148,000 for resettlements.
“I was forced out from my home by war but now there is nothing, the security situation is good in area. This is why I decided to return home so that my children can go to school,” Grace said.
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