IOM is working with its United Nations and NGO partners to prepare for the return and reintegration of tens of thousands of persons displaced by last month's fighting  between the Sudanese army and the Southern People's Liberation Movement in the disputed oil-rich town of Abyei. This follows the signing last week of the Abyei road map between Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and his southern vice-president Salva Kiir, which calls for the deployment of a joint north-south Sudanese force to prevent a resumption of fighting, which left more than 60 people dead and some 50,000 displaced. IOM's fleet of ten 30-tonne trucks continue to provide critical logistical support to agencies and international NGOs bringing assistance to the displaced. Over the weekend, 450 empty fuel drums were transported from Bentiu to Agok, some 20 kilometres south of Abyei, to provide more latrines for the thousands of displaced families.  "With the oncoming rainy season, it is crucial to limit health risks linked to poor sanitation," says IOM's Operations Officer in Turalei, Otto Bijleveld. "The drums will be used by the Irish NGO GOAL to construct additional latrines which are indispensable to secure access to safe drinking water."      Two large IOM storage tents have been assembled in the town of Turalei to warehouse 2,000 non-food item (NFI) kits for 2,000 households, including tents and plastic sheeting, which could be distributed to returning families. A similar number of NFI kits have also been prepositioned by IOM in the nearby town of Wau.  Four IOM trucks on loan to the World Food Programme (WFP) are also being used to conduct food distribution in areas of south of Abyei, including Abatok, Malual Alio, Awal and Wunpeth. So far, IOM has sent more than 260 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to the Abyei region, including tents and NFI kits, containing mosquito nets, soap, plastic sheets and mats, blankets and jerry cans in addition to food for organizations such as UNICEF, ICRC, GOAL, WHO, WFP, UNFPA and ACF.  To sustain this effort, IOM is urgently seeking funds to cover the costs of maintaining its logistical support for the inter-agency effort in areas of the displaced. "So far we've been supporting this effort in the belief that support for this crucial assistance will materialize," said IOM's Chief of Mission Mario Tavolaj, "but funds must come quickly if we are to sustain this effort." For more information, please contact: Otto Bijleveld IOM Agok Tel: + 88 21 66 7000 299 E-mail: "mailto:obijleveld@iom.int">obijleveld@iom.int