Sudan Vision Daily News Paper Official Website - UNHCR in Geneva Admits Deficit in Sudanese Refugees' Repatriation Budget,

Calls on Donors to Reinforce It
Khartoum – Zuleikha Abdel Raziq
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva has disclosed a deficit in the budget for the repatriation of Sudanese refugees from neighboring countries to Darfur and south Sudan.

The UNHCR has called on donor states to increase their donations to resettle the refugees in Sudan. The deputy High Commissioner for Refugees indicated that such deficit had negatively impacted voluntary return process to said regions and had contributed to non provision of opportune conditions which are basic services needed for the stability of returnees.

Sudan called on donor states to respond to the calls of the UNHCR to supply the money. "Sudan issued a statement on the situations of Sudanese Refugees; besides, discussing the budgets during the meetings of the UNHCR Executive Committee in Geneva," said Sudan's Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Aghbash, stating that the committee dealt with refugees' situation across the globe.

Al-Aghbash said Sudan in its statement had shed lights on refugee situation in general and in east Sudan in particular, as well as issue regarding border strategy, which was agreed upon with UNHCR on borders, camps and problems facing the plan. He indicated that the statement noted voluntary return by Sudanese refugees in neighboring states.

Al-Aghbash revealed that Sudan plans to review a law regulating refuge, assisting refugees and asylum seekers; in addition to procedures pertaining to legal check on asylum seekers living in Sudan; and the provision of necessary services to camps until displacement into towns stops.

Within this context, the Wife of North Darfur Governor, Samia Mohammed Saleh lamented the dire conditions under which women are living in refugee camps. "This suffering will not end as long as the women are still living in displacement and refugee camps," she said.

Addressing a symposium on human rights organized in Khartoum under the theme of "the reality of woman situations in refugee camps", she affirmed that Darfur crisis has aggravated the suffering of Darfurian woman because she has lost parents and has now to shoulder the big burden of providing for her people and children.

Saleh further indicated that the situation of women in IDP camps had become stable due to the provision of abode, security, water, education and free medication.