Going home: Land, return and reintegration in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas

The end of the war between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement in 2005 has generated the return of an estimated 2.4 million IDPs and refugees to Southern Sudan and the three transitional areas (Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile). Land issues have shown to be of central importance for the reintegration of the returnees both in rural and urban areas. The international community response to returnees has though lacked in-depth land related analysis, as well as adequate leadership and coordination of efforts. This chapter emphasises the importance of resolving land disputes to support reintegration and more broadly peace in Sudan, and discusses the role that humanitarian and development agencies can play to support these processes.