Armed Sudanese herdsmen enter northeastern Uganda
Jan 23, 2006
KAMPALA, Monday — An estimated 2,000 armed herdsmen from drought-hit parts of southern Sudan have moved into northeastern Uganda in search of pasture and water, Ugandan officials said on Friday.
KAMPALA, Monday — An estimated 2,000 armed herdsmen from drought-hit parts of southern Sudan have moved into northeastern Uganda in search of pasture and water, Ugandan officials said on Friday.
Members of southern Sudan’s Toposa ethnic group are now grazing an estimated 65,000 livestock in a 15 sq km area of Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park, according to Lillian Nsubuga, spokeswoman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
“Their weapons are superior and modern compared to those of our game wardens in the park. We are greatly concerned about the park,†she said. “They were looking for water for their animals due to a long dry spell across the border.â€
Nsubuga said the herdersmen started arriving in the park in mid-December, and warned that the presence of livestock in the park could expose the wild animals to diseases.
She said one Sudanese official had come over to the park - at the request of Ugandan authorities - and urged the pastoralists to leave. Although they had agreed to return home, she added, they were yet to do so.
Meanwhile, Kenyan police reported on Thursday that 38 people were killed on January 13 when herders, reportedly from southwestern Ethiopia’s Dongiro community, carried out a cattle raid in Turkana district in northwestern Kenya.
Thirty of the raiders and eight Kenyans died in a battle between the invaders and Turkana villagers. The clash took place a day after Dongiro invaders stole more than 300 head of cattle from Turkana herders, according to Ernest Wasike, a provincial Police Officer.
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Members of southern Sudan’s Toposa ethnic group are now grazing an estimated 65,000 livestock in a 15 sq km area of Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park, according to Lillian Nsubuga, spokeswoman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
“Their weapons are superior and modern compared to those of our game wardens in the park. We are greatly concerned about the park,†she said. “They were looking for water for their animals due to a long dry spell across the border.â€
Nsubuga said the herdersmen started arriving in the park in mid-December, and warned that the presence of livestock in the park could expose the wild animals to diseases.
She said one Sudanese official had come over to the park - at the request of Ugandan authorities - and urged the pastoralists to leave. Although they had agreed to return home, she added, they were yet to do so.
Meanwhile, Kenyan police reported on Thursday that 38 people were killed on January 13 when herders, reportedly from southwestern Ethiopia’s Dongiro community, carried out a cattle raid in Turkana district in northwestern Kenya.
Thirty of the raiders and eight Kenyans died in a battle between the invaders and Turkana villagers. The clash took place a day after Dongiro invaders stole more than 300 head of cattle from Turkana herders, according to Ernest Wasike, a provincial Police Officer.
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