Blue Nile Refugees Back Home after Stable Security

Khartoum - More than 29 thousand refugees who earlier fled to neighboring villages and camps in Ethiopia have return to the Blue Nile State due to improvement of security conditions in the region, Blue Nile’s Humanitarian Aid Commission has confirmed.
Abdel Monem Abbas Al-Amir, Humanitarian Aid Commissioner for Blue Nile, pointed out that all returnee groups have not settled down in their former homes in the localities of Kurmuk, Gaisan, Kadalo, south of Roseiris and Bao, after restoration of security and provision of basic facilities by the local government as well as national aid organizations currently operating in the region.
Food conditions in the region is stable, assured Al-Amir, adding that the Humanitarian Aid Commission, Zakat Chamber and Islamic Dawa Organization sent a food convey made up of 24 trucks that has already arrive in Damazin within the framework of the President’s promise on contributing to the Commission’s operation in the state estimated at 50,000 sacks of sorghum and various other food items.
Seeds and food items reserve is assuring and will suffice until September 2012, Al-Amir said, adding that 9000 sacks of sorghum was distributed to Kurmuk, Gaisan and Bao localities, 300 sacks for each.
The security situation is stable and that no organized military operations or mobility of forces along all borders of the state, Blue Nile’s Deputy Governor Adam Abakar Ismail affirmed. In statements to Sudan Vision on the te;ephone from Damazin, Ismail development steps in fields of roads, water, and health education are underway due to stable security in the state, stating that the state has taken a set of measures and arrangements for settlement of returnee herders from South Sudan. He added that camps were set up to organize pastoral and agricultural activities and reducing farming areas in favor of pasture to prevent clashes between farmers and herders. The Deputy Governor said many dams were erected by the Ministry of Electricity and Dams and a number of national organizations, adding that various projects are ongoing within the framework of south development backed by President Omar Al Bashir and included in the state’s government’s plan for 2012.
The Deputy Governor revealed a plan for preparations and securing next farming season benefiting from coordination experiment applied in securing harvest last season. He described most successful agricultural season in the state. “Therefore the government is going toward the same direction to secure next agricultural season by coordinating efforts between the state and the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Finance to supply funding, fuel, seeds and ensure early funding from banks.