Gov’t urged to plan for settlement of refugees and IDPs

The government has been advised to make proper planning for the repatriation of internally displaced persons and refugees to avoid land disputes.

The Dean of Political Science at the University of Juba, Dr Abraham Kuol, described the issue of IDPs and refugees as “normal,” saying disaster can happen at any time and people may be forced to flee their homes for safety.

However, he said it was necessary for the government to always make proper planning before repatriating the displaced people back home.

“The issue of internal displacement is not the first time. It is normal for our case in South Sudan because we have natural and man-made disasters, but the government should make good programs for this, ” Dr Kuol told The City Review in an interview.

“The government should allocate for the internally displaced persons and the refugees because they can come to their home anytime,” he added.

Dr. Kuol said there are several South Sudanese refugees in the neighbouring East African countries and Sudan. He said the governments of those countries had planned earlier to host the displaced people by preserving land for them.

Condemns incident

Dr. Kuol said the incident that happened in Gumbo should have been condemned because IDPs were shot dead instead of using diplomacy by talking to them. Dr Kuol believes the law should have applied if they defied orders.

“If internally displaced persons grabbed somebody’s land, then the law is available because the dispute is not something good for IDPs and refugees,” he said.

However, land disputes have continued to affect refugees and IDPs across the country, especially in Juba and other towns such as Torit and Yambio.

Insecurity, communal conflict, flooding, unemployment, education, and a good health system have led to a high influx of citizens from the rural areas to Juba.

Land disputes are the second most litigated cases in the courts across the country, according to the latest report released by Support Peace Initiative Development, a local organisation.

According to the report, Juba, Torit, and Yambio are the major towns that have high rates of land disputes. However, Juba, as the capital city with the highest population, is said to have the most contentious cases of land grabbing.

In August, President Salva Kiir set up a committee to settle land disputes within Juba and its suburbs.

The committee comprised the national Minister of Land, Housing, and Urban Development, Michael Chiengjiek, and the Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, to resolve persistent cases of land grabbing in Juba.

On Wednesday, three people were shot dead in the Garbo area of Kuberi Timan, located along the Juba-Bor road, over a land dispute that erupted between the IDPs and the government.