Some South Sudanese refugees in Palabek, Uganda, in 2018. At the height of the civil war, the neighboring country hosted hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees | Credit | ARDSO

President Salva Kiir has directed all arms of government to create a conducive environment for reconstruction and repatriation of people displaced by violence.

Kiir believes that millions of South Sudanese are waiting for their resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration, once assured of their security.

“For sustainable peace to be achieved, you as parliamentarians must use your oversight function over the line ministries to design programs that will support the return of the displaced persons to their respective areas,” the president said during the first joint session of the national legislature and the Council of States on Monday.

He points out that IDPs and refugees are hesitant to return home because they lack confidence in the peace process.

The UNHCR says there are slightly over two million South Sudanese refugees in the neighboring countries – 80 percent of whom are women and children.

It says they are survivors of violent attacks, sexual assault, which mainly started in 2013.

Most of the refugees and the IDPs have expressed their willingness to return to their native homes but reports of continued fighting in most parts of the country make any return home unviable.

Communal clashes, revenge attacks, banditry, and military confrontations still threaten peace and stability in South Sudan.

According to the revitalized peace deal, the government should immediately institute programs for relief, protection, repatriation, resettlement, reintegration, and rehabilitation of IDPs and returnees.

It is also expected to rebuild and recover destroyed physical infrastructure and give special attention to prioritizing the rebuilding of livelihoods of those affected by the conflict.

“It is only after the displaced persons have return to their ancestral lands that we can say we have total peace in our country,” he added.

The revitalized peace agreement of 2018 says the government must protect the right of refugees and IDPs to return to their places of origin or live in areas of their choice in safety and dignity.

It also provides for a special reconstruction fund to support people affected by the violence since 2013.