MPs demand dialogue with S Sudan over border conflict

By Joyce Namutebi and Moses Walubiri                    

A parliamentary fact finding mission on the border conflict between Uganda and South Sudan has recommended that Government urgently conducts open dialogue with its neighbor to harmonise the issues at stake.

The committee has also recommended that the border line between the two countries must be made known to the people in the area to avoid future conflicts.

   These and other recommendations are contained in a report presented to Parliament by Opposition Chief, Cecilia Ogwal on Tuesday.

 In their 21-page report compiled after visits to the districts of Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe and Arua, the MPs faulted the Government of Uganda for being “lukewarm or reluctant and theoretical in dealing with its neighbours (D R Congo and South Sudan)” as far as border disputes between them and Uganda are concerned.

 The Opposition Chief Whip had been sent on a fact finding mission following attacks on Moyo district in September.

  Her team comprised of shadow ministers: Benard Atiku, Muwanga Kivumbi, Lubega SSeggona, Nabilah Nagayi, Betty Aol and Odo Tayebwa, and Parliament staff.

 The clashes in Moyo were triggered off after the district chairman and his team went for census in a disputed land and got arrested by South Sudanese authorities. To protest their arrest the people organised a peaceful demonstration which ended in torching of a church and a house believed to belong to South Sudanese.

  In retaliation, the South Sudanese are said to have crossed into Uganda where they torched houses, raped three women leaving one dead in addition to causing mayhem.

  The disputed territory, according to the report, is a 10 kilometre strip of land in Wano village, Afoji parish in Moyo Sub-County. Other disputed areas are in Metuin Moyo and in Koboko and Yumbe.

From the general observations, Ogwal said that there is political intrigue and in some cases, laxity of government in most or all of the conflicts in West Nile sub-region.

“Government must move beyond rhetoric and be seen to act about the border issue with South Sudan and also be seen to be taking steps to implement the Ngrudoto agreement between DR Congo and Uganda,” she said. The report is yet to be debated by Parliament.

Local people in Moyo told the team that they know where the borderline passes. “How can government not know?” they asked, according Ogwal. They said that having failed to protect them, the Government must compensate them.

Ogwal said the border question be resolved urgently so as to put an end to the conflict between Madis and Kukus.

In Adjumani, the MPs learnt that there is hostility between the locals and the refugees in the area. The MPs said they also got reports of South Sudanese crossing into Uganda with guns. Other challenges cited by the people included poor sanitation, conflict over water, heavily populated schools and inadequate health facilities.  

“There must be a clear strategy of repatriation of refugees back to their countries once hostilities die down in their places of origin,” Ogwal said.

  In Yumbe, the MPs were informed about armed South Sudanese, the problem of gun trafficking, inadequate security and also challenges in mineral prospected areas particularly in Ewanga Sub-County.

  The MPs stressed that foreigners should not own land in Uganda and also urged the government to beef up security at the borders.

  In Arua, the team learnt of a territorial dispute with Yumbe over Ewanga Sub county following reports of discovery of oil there, Ogwal said. Cited in the dispute are “big” people from Kampala.

 A meeting held in the RDC’s offices with the team called for summoning to the Public Accounts Committee of a one Patrick Mutagwire over Ewanga issues.