South Sudan: UN-Habitat embarks on resettling returning refugees

The United Nations has said that it is working on an accelerated programme to resettle displaced and returning refugees to their homes through its Human Settlement Programme, UN-Habitat.

The organisation says that the initiative dubbed ‘housing for peace’ will also make decent housing more affordable.The UN habitat said the project is in preparation for the influx of returning populations expected to leave the Protection of Civilian sites (POCs) with the progress in the peace process.

South Sudan descended into chaos in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir sacked his first vice president Riek Machar, triggering ethnically charged clashes that have killed thousands and forced more than 2.3 million to flee.

There’s however relative stability now after Kiir named a new “national unity” cabinet in late April, including former rebels and members of the opposition, after Machar returned to Juba and regained his old job.

However, many of the displaced persons say that they fear returning back to their homes for fear of reprisals.