A first group of 49 Sudanese refugees yesterday boarded an IOM
chartered plane in the southeastern Central African Republic
(C.A.R) town of Mboki for a short flight to Tambura, in
Sudan’s Western Equatoria Province.

The flight, the first of many to be organized by IOM, is the
first official return of Sudanese refugees by UNHCR following the
signing on 1 February of a tripartite agreement governing the
return of Sudanese from C.A.R.

“The returnees were jubilant as they boarded the
plane,” said IOM’s Danny Gill in Mboki. “All were
desperate to get home after having spent up to 16 years in Mboki.
All were able to take their possessions along, including tools and
bicycles, which will help in their reintegration process. Early in
the day, crowds thronged the runway and cheered as the plane took
off.”

At the height of the operation, which is scheduled to last three
months, IOM is expected to organise three rotations a day, three
days a week to repatriate a total of 5,000 Sudanese to Tambura and
Yambio.

In Tambura, IOM is working closely with UNHCR and the German
agency, GTZ, to provide post arrival and reintegration assistance.
Mine Action Group will provide mine awareness material.

As well as being responsible for the air transport of the
refugees, IOM carries out pre-departure medical checks to ensure
refugees are fit to travel and provides basic medical care and
escort assistance for vulnerable people such as the elderly and the
disabled.

Arrangements for the second group of 5,000 refugees in Mboki
will be reached with UNHCR after the initiation of this first
group.

For further information, please contact:

Danny Gill

IOM Mboki

Tel: +882 165 420 79 49

Email: "mailto:Dgill@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">Dgill@iom.int