Preparations for Peace in Southern Sudan Our Position

Preparations for Peace in Southern Sudan
Our Position

That Canada take steps, including funding of capacity building initiatives, NOW, to enhance the southern Sudan infrastructure and institutional capacity in preparation for peace and the massive return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees to southern Sudan following the signing of a peace accord between the SPLM/A and the Government of Sudan. Further, that Canada pressure the Government of Sudan to desist from actions that are detrimental to a stable and permanent peace.

Issues

Current infrastructure, both physical and institutional in southern Sudan does not have the capacity to accept large numbers of returnees or to effectively use large flows of funds. Canada must act now to develop capacity in southern Sudanese institutions to absorb larger funding flows than have been available in the past.

The Government of Sudan seems to be using the crisis in Darfur to delay the peace process in southern Sudan while encouraging activities that are detrimental to a lasting peace. Canada must work to apply international pressure to ensure such activity ceases and the negotiations are brought to a successful conclusion.

Background

The Government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement have signed a cease-fire and expect to sign a permanent peace accord following the principles outlined in the Machakos Agreement within the next few months. The government, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and relief agencies need to expedite preparations for the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and thousands of refugees to their homes in southern Sudan once a peace agreement is signed.

Over 1 million IDPs and thousands of refugees are expected in the first six months, which could lead to southern Sudan being overwhelmed. Donors must immediately begin to fund programmes to assist returnees, rather than wait for a final peace deal. These include local, food aid, health care, education and mine action institutions. Most of these will be NGOs as the government of southern Sudan does not yet exist. USAID's Famine Early Warning System warns that current food insecurity in "high alert" areas such as Aweil, Wau, Magwit, Torit, Bor, Juba and Yei would also be a problem for both returnees and host populations.

The peace process in Kenya has come to a halt as the government delays and delays while attempting to mollify the international community by extending the ceasefire in 3 month increments. The government also appears to be encouraging actions that are detrimental to a lasting peace, in particular, allocating depopulated lands to new settlers from the north among them some Egyptians. The Egyptian settlers are apparently being allocated land under an agreement between Sudan and Egypt allowing freedom of movement, residence and work between the two countries.
©CFS,2004.