AFRICA/SUDAN - Delegation of religious men and women will investigate conditions in southern Sudan awaiting returning refugees in view of providing assistance

Khartoum (Fides Service)- A delegation of religious men and women will make a fact finding visit to southern Sudan to investigate the situation in view of assisting returning refugees who fled to escape the civil war which devastated the country for 21 years.
“The delegation has been invited by the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference and is sent by the Unions of General Superiors of congregations of men and women religious” said Fr José Sanchez Hernandez, Minister General of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinitarians).
The delegation will include representatives of the Brothers of Christian Schools, the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, the Comboni Missionary Sisters and the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto.
“The delegation will depart on 2 March and spend three weeks in Sudan until 24 March. The visit will touch several dioceses including Rumbek, Tombura-Yambio, Juba and Torit” said Fr. Hernandez. The investigating mission is supported by Missio Aachen and Caritas Ireland and will avail of the collaboration of a community of Trinitarian Fathers in Cairo, Egypt, who have a care centre in that city for refugees from Sudan.
“The aim of the mission is to assess the present situation in southern Sudan and estimate the needs in view of the return of refugees and displaced persons from north Sudan and bordering countries” said the Minister General of the Trinitarian Fathers. “On 18 May in Rome Superiors General will meet to listen to a report on the explorative mission and to draft an action plan to assist returning refugees involving different religious orders of men and women”.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), estimates that at least 550,000 Sudanese refugees live in exile in a neighbouring country and over 5 million are displaced in their own country. Also according to UNHCR last year between 70,000 and 80,000 refugees returned autonomously to southern Sudan. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 18/1/2006 righe 30 parole 349)