SUDAN: Durable solutions elusive as southern IDPs return and ...

665,000 IDPs who have seen their houses demolished since the start of the demolitions, more
than a half have been forcibly moved since 2004 (Tufts-IDMC, August 2008, p.19-20).
Forced relocation of IDPs in Khartoum continued in 2008. In February 2008, forced evictions
affected an unknown number of IDP families and other urban poor living near the city centre and
along the east bank of the Blue Nile (UNHCR, February 2008, p.7). This particular relocation
occurred without the use of physical force. However, families lost their shelters and children were
unable to continue go to school. In March 2008, UNHCR warned that more forced relocations
were expected with the gradual implementation of the Khartoum development plan (UNHCR,
February 2008, p.7; see also UN SC, Report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan, 31 January
2008, p.10, para. 48).
The most recent large-scale demolitions took place in the Mandela settlement in December 2008.
Following the demolitions, thousands of people were left with no option but to live in makeshift
structures made of sticks and cloth. While the conditions in the settlement prior to the demolitions
were poor, residents had secure mud brick homes and some had private generators providing
electricity (IRIN, 4 December 2008). In March 2009 UNMIS reported that disruptions to life
resulting from government demolitions were ongoing (UNMIS, March 2009, p.5).
Despite government promises that land would be allocated to IDPs whose shelter had been
demolished, the Aegis Trust reported in 2006 that 77 per cent of the relocated IDPs have never
been allocated plots. For the IDPs in question, this means that they are unable to build a
permanent shelter, or to grow subsistence crops (Aegis Trust, June 2006, p.11). They are left
with nowhere to go. Many have been relocated to distant areas in the desert on the outskirts of
Khartoum, without access to even the most basic services (Tufts-IDMC, August 2008, p.20;
Watchlist, April 2007, p.16).
IDPs without IDs or birth certificates, IDPs who arrived after 1996 (which was the cut-off date for
the registration of IDPs in Khartoum), and those who could not afford to pay for a new plot have
all been excluded from the process of plot allocation (Aegis Trust, June 2006, p.7-8; Tufts-IDMC,
August 2008, p.20; ODI, March 2007, p.20; Assal, March 2006, p.18). No government policy is in
place to address the needs of IDPs whose houses have been demolished and who are not
eligible for a new plot (Tufts-IDMC, August 2008, p.20).
According to Landinfo:
"It is evident that the authorities actively endeavour to prevent permanent structures being built in
both the official and unofficial camps, because this would make it more difficult to close the
camps if the areas they are situated in were to be used for other purposes. During the visit to
Ummdurman as-Salam, Landinfo was able to see, for example, that water pipes had been laid to
the outer edge of the camp but no further. […] The Norwegian Refugee Council has also only
been able to build temporary schools. In general, there is no electricity supply in the unofficial
camps. The general trend, which is otherwise prevalent in the third world, whereby more
permanent structures are gradually built in slum towns, is actively prevented in Khartoum,
according to one international organisation" (Landinfo, November 2008, p.12).
Landinfo further observes that the “forced relocation of internally displaced persons and other
poor people is often linked to ambiguities about property rights” and that “property rights
legislation is unclear and has not been adapted to address the challenges that exist in Khartoum
today“ (Landinfo, November 2008, p.16).
According to Tufts-IDMC:
"According to Agnès de Geoffroy most of the land on which the first waves of southern IDPs
settled has now acquired significant commercial value. IDPs mostly submit to urban planning
decisions in the hope of eventually getting land ownership in subsequent plot allocations. Most
know little about plot prices and official criteria of plot allocation. In most of the camps, plots are
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