WESTERN BAHR EL GHAZAL - "Today, I truly feel like a South Sudanese citizen—I have received a plot of land where my family and I can finally resettle" said Collet Albino Alajahu. Overflowing with joy, she added, "Jur River County is now my new home.”

Collet was among over 30,000 people displaced in 2016 when fighting erupted in Wau, the capital of Western Bahr El Ghazal, between government and opposition forces. Seeking safety, they took refuge in Naivasha camp, which was at the time a United Nations-designated protection site for civilians.

Today, thanks to collaborative efforts between the state government and its partners, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Western Bahr El Ghazal enjoys relative stability and security.

Improved security led to Naivasha’s redesignation as a conventional displacement camp under the sovereign control of the Government of South Sudan.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 90 percent of those displaced in 2016 have voluntarily returned to their areas of origin. However, approximately 4,800 individuals remain in the IDP camp but even they have now embarked on a significant transition toward rebuilding their lives, receiving individual plots of land to support their reintegration into Kor Malang, Jur River county.

“It has been a long journey for our internally displaced persons to achieve integration,” said Basham Musa Ayaga, Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, during the official plot allocation.

“The process began with the durable solutions plan in 2022, and today marks a milestone in this journey, thanks to the support of our partners,” he added.

The resettlement of IDPs has been a collective effort. Jur River county generously donated over one million square meters of land for the initiative, while the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) cleared this tract of potential unexploded ordnance, ensuring a safe and environmentally friendly space for returning families.

“Without support from all partners, it would have been difficult for IOM to implement this initiative,” revealed Melkamu Tamiru, Durable Solutions Officer for IOM.

For their part, UNMISS military engineers from China are actively working on site development and constructing roads to improve access and mobility. Their efforts also bolster IOM, which is leading the durable solutions initiative, in launching major infrastructure projects and drilling boreholes for water distribution.

Sam Muhumure, Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission’s Field Office in Western Bahr El Ghazal, facilitating the reintegration of internally displaced persons is a crucial step in advancing UNMISS’ mandate of protecting civilians.

“We remain committed to addressing the root causes of displacement by promoting peaceful cattle migration, assisting the state government in strengthening security, and extending the rule of law and accountability in various returnee areas,” he stated.

Although the path to complete reintegration isn’t at an end yet, securing land is a crucial step towards recovery, resilience, and a return to normalcy.

As Patrice Andrea Mokudu, a displaced leader at Naivasha IDP camp said, as he witnessed some 900 households received a 20-by-20 square meter plot—“This is a historic moment for us as every family will now have the opportunity to live independently in their own home.”