Eastern Equatoria State Committee for Repatriation of Internally Displaced People from Northern Sudan denied media allegations of neglecting returnees at Juba River Port.
Alphonse Muras Chacha, who heads the repatriation committee, refuted the statement aired on Radio Miraya that returnees heading to Eastern Equatoria were abandoned in Juba, Emmanuel Radio reported.Mr. Mura called the statement unfortunate.
He said the people of the state could not neglect the returnees after they have taken the positive choice of returning home.
State minister for Culture and Social Development Magdalena Beato Atiol claimed that the media report was a move to tarnish the image of the state government.
Ms. Atiol said that the transport of returnees from Khartoum until the states fall under GoSS responsibility.
She added that the returnees arrived in Juba on Monday and were scheduled to travel Torit the next day but could not do so due to logistical delays.
Over15 thousand IDPs registered in the north to return to their ancestral homes in various states of Southern Sudan.
About 430 were destined to Eastern Equatoria and 234 have already arrived while 196 are on the way.