Overview

 As a result of the fighting in South Sudan in recent years, nearly 1 million people have been displaced to Sudan and have become refugees in Darfur, White Nile, Khartoum, and other parts of Sudan. The outbreak of conflict in Sudan in April 2023 between the RSF and Sudan Forces in Khartoum resulted in the exodus of Sudanese and other nationalities, including South Sudanese, from Khartoum to neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Like any other conflict-affected group, the displaced population abandoned everything they possessed in Sudan and fled to serve their lives. South Sudanese were/are forced to return to their war-torn country, and Sudanese and third-country nationals seek refuge through four routes, including Abyei, Renk Kiir-Adem, and Raja border points.

Abyei Returnees Area Administrative Specialization

The Abyei territory is a border territory between South Sudan and Sudan that was awarded “special administrative status” by the Abyei Protocol in the 2004 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that concluded the Second Sudanese Civil War. Abyei Town is the capital of the Abyei Area. Under the terms of the Abyei Protocol, effectively a condominium, the Abyei Area is deemed part of both the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan on an interim basis. In contrast to the boundaries of the old district, the Abyei Protocol defined the Abyei Area as “the area of the nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905.”

Returnees from Khartoum transit through Amiet Market, and some from Renk pass through Agok, where the UNHCR and IOM teams screen and enter data for all returnees before transporting them to Abyei, where they integrate into their communities in Abyei Town and the surrounding areas. As mandated, with support from Shelter/NFI colleagues, the Protection Cluster conducted quick protection monitoring and vulnerability assessments to identify returnee and host community security concerns.

One thousand nine hundred forty-seven (1947) returnee homes were assessed in Abyei Town during the fast protection monitoring and vulnerability assessment in the locations listed below. UNHCR, IOM, Hold the Child, CCOSS and ACEA identified 546 PSN households in the aforementioned locations. Persons with disabilities, single parents, female-headed households, elderly at risk, separated and unaccompanied minors, severe medical conditions, elderly at risk, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are among the PSNs identified.

General Protection

The protection cluster members in Abyei conducted focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observation within the areas where returnees integrated among the host communities. It was noticed that most returnees are women, children and elderly staying with their relatives or friendly. Some returnees living in Southern Abyei need somewhere to stay

but are put up in Abyei town. The living conditions of returnees in Abyei town could be better due to the lack of food, non-food items and poor housing conditions. The protection team verified that one house could accommodate about 1-8 households. The returnee raised the need for food, scholastic materials for children, shelter materials, water buckets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and sanitary materials for women of reproductive age and adolescent girls. The host community leaders reported sharing few resources with returnees, which resulted in a need for more food for everyone in the community.

Access to justice

The returnee and host community leaders reported that they resolved their issues through South Sudan Police Services, community leaders, religious leaders, and the council of elders in an informal way. Most returnees reported that they don’t have South Sudan National Identity, which affects them when searching for jobs, school and legal rights. “I have been in Sudan for 20 years, and I found someone occupying my land., but I don’t have a nationality to claim by the plot”, said a returnee in the Mulmul area.

Child Protection

The protection identified about 184 separated and accompanied children staying with their extended relatives. Considering the setting of returnees in those areas, the separated children live in crowded housing where more than one individual sleeps in one room. It is good to note that almost returnee children lack clothing, as some were seen naked or wearing toned clothes. In addition, returnees’ children are away from school due to overcrowded schools and language barriers, as instructions are given in English. It is anticipated that many separated and unaccompanied children may go on the streets in Abyei Town if child protection partners double their efforts.

Housing, Land and Property (HLP)

The protection cluster team in Abyei observed that many people are being forced to stay in undesirable locations due to the fighting between Dinka Ngok and Twic, which has harmed their homes. As a result, they are staying in Abyei town without plans for themselves.

Gender-Based Violence

The community leaders and IDPs informed the assessment team that there are no cases of sexual gender-based violence reported in their community. Still, their domestic violence cases

are due to a lack of food and shelter. In some incidents, the head of the family may not meet the needs, resulting in arguments and fighting. In addition, the women’s groups raised their concern that the lack of sanitary materials resulted in school dropout for adolescent girls, affecting women of reproductive age in the community. According to the returnee woman in Amethbek. “many issues are happening when boys and girls share the same rooms; we are facing this since we returned, and we have no right to chase people.”

Wash Facilities

 The protection team observed a need for more pit latrines in the locations assessed. As a result, people openly defecate and bathe in the places behind their tukuls (grass thatch houses). On the other hand, during the exercise, it has been noticing that some water hand pumps need some minor repairs ( replacement of head assembly, handles and the platforms) to continue operational normally and avoid disconnect, which may lead to overcrowded and hence conflict at the water point, moreover some family last water collections and storage containers.

Health

 The host community and returnees reported an increased number of malaria cases from June to the present time, and this is because available of water everywhere which is the hiding place of mosquitos. However, there are PHCU and PHCC in the areas mentioned above.

Protection needs and concerns:

• Insecurity alongside the road from Sudan to Abyei and South Sudan
• There are some cases of Lotting (Phones, Bags, money and other belongings)Physical and emotional abuses
• Separated Children
• Unaccompanied Children
• Death and injuries (all the Death cases were in Sudan)
• Detention (all cases were in Sudan)
• Some family members remained in Sudan; most of them are willing to come, but they don’t have money for transport
• The transport fee that they were paid was very expensive and not affordable for many South Sudanese refugees who wanted to come
• They were paid money at different checkpoints alongside the road from Sudan up to Abyei Region, and the last point was at the north entry of Amiet Market in Abyei.
• Issues to do with Land (HLP)
• PSNs among the returnees’ population.
• Documents lost and /or left in Sudan
• Clothing
• Many returnees are sharing and staying in small shelters with their host families, causing many issues and difficulties, especially for Women and Girls.
• Food
• Dignity Kits