Roundup: Dispalced people in S. Sudan wary of returning home

Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the South Sudanese capital Juba remain wary of the dim prospects of returning home after more than two years of civil conflict.

Some IDPs in the largest UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba interviewed by Xinhua on Thursday expressed fear that they would face joblessness and occupied homes and land after they return home.

The allure of returning home for now hinges upon provision of basic services like food, return of occupied homes, security and possible compensation for destroyed properties during the civil conflict that broke out in December 2013.

Despite the formation of a unity government by President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Riek Machar in April, the economy is yet to recover from the civil conflict, which killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than one million.

The IDPs' hopes and fears are their own as the unity government is facing a cash crunch and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says it will only provide IDPs with some basic services and it's the government that will handle their return.

Spokesman for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Ariane Quentier, earlier told journalists some 40,000 IDPs had voluntarily left UN PoC sites for home, leading to a reduction in the IDP number in PoC sites in South Sudan from 200,000 in January to less than 160,000 in June.

She said it was critical for returnee IDPs to be accorded better conditions like seeds for planting and other basics.

William Tejok, the secretary for information at the Juba PoC site, said he didn't think of going back home as the authorities could not provide necessary conditions for their return.

Tejok however spoke about problems in the PoC site. He said unregistered IDPs among new arrivals were complaining of hunger and recently demonstrated before concerned authorities over the need to be registered and enjoy meals.

Pregnant women and infants lack food and medication, he added.

Another IDP Gom Kubong said many IDPs were concerned about their occupied homes they left behind when they fled fighting.

"We don't feel like going back home. Our homes have been occupied, some of them have been destroyed," he said.

The IDPs don't have jobs and yet they lost properties and money during the civil conflict, he added.

"There must be some sort of compensation for properties lost," he said.

Economic crisis continues to soar in South Sudan with nearly 300 percent inflation and the South Sudan Pound depreciating against the U.S. dollar from 32 in April to 50 in July.

And in parts of the country, like Wau, insecurity persists with nascent rebellions displacing many.

The hopes of the IDPs to rebuild their home will continue to hang in balance. Endit