VZCZCXRO8432
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0507/01 0880643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290643Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6673
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  SUDAN - IOM OVERVIEW OF IDP RETURNS 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000507  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (U) The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the 
primary operational agency in the return of internally displaced 
persons (IDPs) to Southern Sudan, recently provided a breakdown of 
projected IDP returns and an overview of current operations. 
Although establishing the logistical infrastructure for large-scale 
population movements has faced some delays to date, IOM now has a 
solid structure and strategy in place and is optimistic that it will 
meet its 83,000 return target by the end of the dry season in early 
¶2008.  However, Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) commitments to 
assist 115,000 returns from Khartoum in 2007 may be overly 
ambitious.  IOM's flexible approach also allows for the expedited 
movement of IDP groups of special concern, often critical to 
mitigate ethnic tensions and diffuse inter-communal conflict. 
 
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PLANNING FIGURES 
---------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) IOM has committed to assist in the return of 83,000 people 
to and within Southern Sudan in 2007 and early 2008.  The breakdown 
by region and area of origin is as follows: 
 
-- 35,000 from Khartoum to Southern Kordofan and Southern Sudan 
(including 10,000 by air to Central, Eastern, and Western Equatoria 
states 
-- 15,000 within Blue Nile 
-- 10,000 from Wau town, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, to Warab State 
-- 10,000 from all three Equatoria states to Upper Nile 
-- 13,000 from South Darfur to Northern Bahr el Ghazal 
 
¶3.  (U) The GOSS also plans to assist 115,000 IDPs to return from 
Khartoum to Southern Kordofan and Southern Sudan in 2007.  Combined 
with IOM's 35,000, the overall planning figure of IDPs returning 
from Khartoum in 2007 and early 2008 is 150,000.  IOM will provide 
some support to GOSS in its efforts as GOSS fleet management 
capacity is limited. 
 
¶4.  (U) In addition to assisted IDP returns, IOM estimates that 
there could be up to 300,000 spontaneous IDP returns and 102,000 
refugees repatriating to Sudan in 2007. 
 
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PROGRESS TO DATE 
---------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The most significant obstacle to date has been establishing 
basic infrastructure for large-scale returns.  However, IOM recently 
completed departure centers in two of the main IDP camps in Khartoum 
and will complete an additional facility in the coming month. 
 
¶6.  (U) IOM estimates that 230 trucks are required to complete 
transportation of the planned number of IDPs within the year.  IOM 
currently owns only 30 trucks but is able to hire additional 
vehicles and reports that trucking capacity is not delaying return 
operations.  In addition, GOSS will provide IOM 134 new trucks for 
the movement of the 115,000 people from Khartoum that the GOSS has 
committed to assisting. 
 
¶7.  (U) IOM-assisted movements from Wau to Warab have started, as 
well as the assisted return of long-term IDPs from the Equatoria 
states to Upper Nile and Jonglei.  Also underway are the 
IOM-assisted returns of Dinka IDPs from South Darfur to Northern 
Bahr el Ghazal. 
 
¶8.  (U) While its planning figures reflect calendar year 2007 
(largely to fit donor funding cycles), IOM stressed that the primary 
window for returns to Southern Sudan is the dry season of October 
through April.  During this period, lack of rain ensures road access 
to rural areas as well as the availability of dry grass, which is 
used to thatch the roofs of traditional shelters.  Since the dry 
season straddles the calendar year, it is likely that IOM will need 
the first few months of 2008 to meet the projected 2007 return 
figures.  IOM is structuring returns to maximize dry season access, 
currently focusing on Central Equatoria, for example, while 
postponing returns to Juba County which is less obstructed by rain. 
 
¶9.  (U) At the end of the current dry season (May 2007), and in line 
 
KHARTOUM 00000507  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
with the mid-term review of the U.N.'s Work Plan for Sudan, IOM and 
partners will review progress, revisit IDP return planning figures, 
and adjust the projections as necessary. 
 
----------------------------- 
SPECIAL IDP GROUPS OF CONCERN 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9.  In addition to the 83,000 projected IDP returns, IOM's planning 
allows for possible assistance to 20,000 spontaneous returns.  This 
includes groups that are determined to be "vulnerable, stranded or 
distressed," as well as those IDPs that require expedited movement 
to mitigate inter-communal conflict.  IOM will assist with the 
transportation of these groups and provide non-food relief items to 
facilitate their return and reintegration. 
 
¶10.  (U) On March 20, IOM began transporting a group of 600 Sudanese 
who had walked into the area around Boma, Eastern Equatoria, from 
Dima camp in Ethiopia to various locations in Southern Sudan by air. 
 A precarious security situation near Boma, due to the Sudan 
People's Liberation Army's disarmament of the Murle militia in 
Pibor, requires the urgent relocation of this group. 
 
¶11.  (U) IOM will soon send a team to Kajo Keji and Nimule to assess 
the possibility of transporting IDPs from those locations before the 
rainy season begins in the coming months.  About 3,000 IDPs now in 
Kajo Keji need to return to Yei, Lainya, and Juba counties, a 
relatively short distance that may fit within the window of the 
current dry season.  In Nimule, Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) has 
registered 3,500 IDPs to return to Bor County.  NPA will transport 
1,000 of these IDPs under its FY 2006 grant from USAID's Office of 
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.  IOM will look into the 
feasibility of transporting the balance before the rains close rural 
roads to Bor in June. 
 
 
HUME