IDPs in Sudan
Refugees International released a report last month entitled, “Sudan: Preventing Violence and Statelessness as Referendum Approaches,” that provided recommendations for protecting vulnerable populations of southerners residing in the north and northerners in the south in the event southern Sudanese vote for separation in January 2011. These minority communities are at serious risk of possible harassment, loss of citizenship, property and other rights if north and south Sudan separate without adequate protections in place.
A number of displaced southerners in the north told R.I. that they already face discrimination and difficulty finding housing and employment and wish to return to the south before any potential violence erupts after the referendum. Others we spoke with are attaining education and employment in Khartoum well beyond what would be possible in the south, and they fear forced expulsion from the north. It is difficult to identify how many people want to return to the south and how many are integrated and would prefer to remain in the north. The international community must support both those who opt to return and those who want to stay.
In this regard, there is a need for a concrete assessment that gives a better estimate of the number of displaced southerners who wish to return home, accompanied by a revitalized assisted return program to replace the one that fell apart after international funding ran out in 2008. This would ideally take place before the referendum but could continue afterward if necessary.
It is also imperative that the issue of citizenship be settled before the creation of a new state and that it should not be de-prioritized in favor of negotiations over oil revenue sharing and border demarcation. International actors should encourage the implementation of policies that uphold the key tenets of current international principles on nationality in instances of state secession. These include the right of people to choose their own nationality to the extent possible, to not be discriminated against on ethnic, religious or political grounds and a commitment from both governments to protecting people from statelessness.
In the meantime, the governments of the north and south should make public guarantees that there will be no stripping of citizenship or forced expulsion by either side. The 2004 Four Freedoms agreement between Sudan and Egypt, that guarantees the right to movement, residence, employment, and private property, could be a model for a potential arrangement between the north and south that guarantees basic rights to all those who are currently Sudanese citizens.
Jennifer Smith is an Advocate at Refugees International, and has conducted field missions to Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Citizenship, IDPs, Referendum, Refugees International
