Eritrea & Sudan
Closure of Eritrean-Sudanese border halts repatriation

afrol News, 9 October - Following renewed tensions between Sudan and Eritrea, which have led to the closure of the border, the plans to restart voluntary repatriation operations for thousands of Eritrean refugees from Sudan to Eritrea have been suspended. The border was closed after SPLA rebels had taken two towns close to the border.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, yesterday reported that restrictions on the movement of its staff in eastern Sudan had been imposed over the weekend, but have now been lifted. "We have resumed registration for return in camps and in urban centres," said UNHCR spokesperson Delphine Marie.

Rebels, believed to belong to the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), captured the towns of Homoshakarieb, 95 km northeast of Kassala, and Sholalab, 25 km northeast of Kassala - a province at the Sudanese border with Eritrea. Sudanese army troops are now believed to have recaptured both towns, which are far from the SPLA's usual zone of operations in Southern Sudan.

Sudan however had accused Eritrea of allowing the rebels to pass through their territory to launch the attack - an allegation immediately rejected by the Eritrean government. The allegation nonetheless has led to the prolonged closure of the border between the two countries.

- The latest fighting in the region and the consequent decision to close the border impacts negatively on UNHCR's plans to aid the voluntary return of more than 100,000 refugees still residing in camps in eastern Sudan, Ms Marie said yesterday in Geneva. The return operation was originally temporarily suspended in June because of the rainy season.

This was "one of the oldest large-scale refugee situations in the world with which we are involved," she added. Some of the refugees date back to 1967.

By Friday last week, UNHCR had organised some 16 trucks ahead of the planned resumption of convoys for Eritrean refugees living in camps in and around the towns of Showak and Kassala, eastern Sudan. Convoy movements had been expected to resume on Saturday, but by then, the border was closed. 

UNHCR was also requested to halt information campaigns currently underway in several camps in the area. Since Friday, 10 Eritrean officials from the ministry which handles refugee/returnee matters had been expelled, UNHCR reports. Yesterday, five of them were asked to leave Gedaref state, while another five who were in Kassala state were expelled on Friday. The Eritrean officials had been working with UNHCR on information campaigns in the camps and on registration of refugees who wish to return home.

Many of those Eritreans still living in Sudan will cease to be considered as refugees at the end of this year due to the fact that the original reasons for their flight - Eritrea's war of liberation and a subsequent conflict with Ethiopia - are no longer valid. Those wishing to remain in Sudan must apply for an alternative status or present any claims for continued asylum to a joint UNHCR/government of Sudan panel for review.

Since repatriations started in May 2001, UNHCR has facilitated the return home of more than 50,000 camp-based refugees. However, more than 100,000 still remain in the camps and several thousand more in urban centres, the UN agency informs. 

Sources: Based on UNHCR and afrol archives

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