Refugee Agencies Under Investigation
Sep 11, 2003
SOME international organisations and the former UN High Commission for Refugees country representative here are being investigated for inciting Sudanese refugees at Kiryandongo to resist relocation to West Nile.
By Milton Olupot and John Odyek
SOME international organisations and the former UN High Commission for Refugees country representative here are being investigated for inciting Sudanese refugees at Kiryandongo to resist relocation to West Nile.
The First deputy Premier, Moses Ali yesterday told Parliament that the former UNHRC boss Saihon Saidy together with International Rescue Committee (IRC) and ECF funded and mobilised the militant Sudanese youth “Baghdad Boys†at the Kiryandongo transit camp to resist Government plans.
Ali, also disaster preparedness and refugees minister was presenting a statement on the relocation of the refugees from Kiryandongo to West Nile. He said 23 of the Baghdad Boys who terrorised innocent refugees and were hostile to government were arrested and being prosecuted.
“This UNHRC man had hidden motives, we are investigating him to ascertain the motives behind the internal and external opposition and sabotage to Government and to ensure that the ring leaders face the law.â€
The minister denied reports that refugees were killed during the protest against relocation. He said only one woman was injured during the scuffle and she was treated and recovered before order was restored.
Parliament heard that sh162m from the Ministry of Finance and US$2.07m (about sh4b) from Geneva through the UNHCR was earmarked for the resettlement of the refugees.
MPs, while debating the statement criticised the Government for over-concentrating resources on refugees while neglecting the Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
Wakikona Wanendeya (Manjiya) Jack Sabiiti (Rukiga) Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West) and Ken Lukyamuzi (Rubaga South) said thousands of IDPs were living in squalid conditions and dying in their hundreds as the Government concentrated its resources on refugees.
Sabiiti said, “Over 300 IDPs are freezing at Lugogo without any attention.
“In Sironko over 10,000 people have been homeless since 1998.
Ends
SOME international organisations and the former UN High Commission for Refugees country representative here are being investigated for inciting Sudanese refugees at Kiryandongo to resist relocation to West Nile.
The First deputy Premier, Moses Ali yesterday told Parliament that the former UNHRC boss Saihon Saidy together with International Rescue Committee (IRC) and ECF funded and mobilised the militant Sudanese youth “Baghdad Boys†at the Kiryandongo transit camp to resist Government plans.
Ali, also disaster preparedness and refugees minister was presenting a statement on the relocation of the refugees from Kiryandongo to West Nile. He said 23 of the Baghdad Boys who terrorised innocent refugees and were hostile to government were arrested and being prosecuted.
“This UNHRC man had hidden motives, we are investigating him to ascertain the motives behind the internal and external opposition and sabotage to Government and to ensure that the ring leaders face the law.â€
The minister denied reports that refugees were killed during the protest against relocation. He said only one woman was injured during the scuffle and she was treated and recovered before order was restored.
Parliament heard that sh162m from the Ministry of Finance and US$2.07m (about sh4b) from Geneva through the UNHCR was earmarked for the resettlement of the refugees.
MPs, while debating the statement criticised the Government for over-concentrating resources on refugees while neglecting the Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
Wakikona Wanendeya (Manjiya) Jack Sabiiti (Rukiga) Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West) and Ken Lukyamuzi (Rubaga South) said thousands of IDPs were living in squalid conditions and dying in their hundreds as the Government concentrated its resources on refugees.
Sabiiti said, “Over 300 IDPs are freezing at Lugogo without any attention.
“In Sironko over 10,000 people have been homeless since 1998.
Ends