'Why would we leave this, if is becomes worse on the other side?'

Yesterday I visited two of the Sudanese refugee settlements in Adjumani District. Alere is one of the oldest and dates back to the beginning of the 1990ties.  The refugees here are mainly from the Madi-tribe - and mainly originating from the area around Nimule - just on the other side of the border. Most came to Uganda around 1989, where they were 'repatriated' by UNCHR this way - into Uganda, when the Kharthoum regime bombed their homes.

I went there to get an idea of how far our civic education programme 'Education For Peace' has reached, and to speak to some of the participants.

Officially, there is peace now in southern Sudan, and asking any Sudanese refugee if he/she is to return, they answer positively. Asking 'when that would be more specifically?', they whirl into abstract explanations, finally concluding 'that when the repatriation starts, that will be'.

Translated into plain English it basically means 'when there is someone facilitating the transport'. It is very simple, someone else (UNHCR) brought them here, now those ones must also bring them back.

In many other posts I have explained the harshness of the Sudanese refugee settlements, and in spite there is official peace in Sudan, I can't eye the immidiate positive impact regarding these people.

Many refugees also rightfully question the peace in Sudan, the lack of infrastructure, education, hospitals etc. 'Why would we leave this, if is becomes worse on the other side?'. We are already talking 'worse'.

The situation also serves as a good explanation for the challenges our civic education programme meets. I won't dig into that,  I think my  post from yesterday explains my doubt of will we ever make a proper change in these people's lives. The need is there, but it is difficult to mobilise activity, gender balance, interest, voluntarism, and knowledge when people have been used to someone else taking charge of their lives.