Museveni, Salvar Kirr calm tensions
Dec 04, 2009
A meeting to resolve a border dispute between Uganda and Sudan has flopped but this has not disrupted the calm that returned to Moyo after a joint visit by President Yoweri Museveni and his south Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir.
By Dradenya Amazia
A meeting to resolve a border dispute between Uganda and Sudan has flopped but this has not disrupted the calm that returned to Moyo after a joint visit by President Yoweri Museveni and his south Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir.
The two presidents visited the disputed area last month and directed local leaders to resolve the issue. The first meeting was due to take place on Tuesday, but has been postponed due to lack of funds. “We have no money to host our guests,†said Moyo resident district commissioner, John Abingwa.
Over 200 people were expected from Koboko, Yumbe and Adjumani as well as Central Equatoria state in southern Sudan. Abingwa said the meeting will take place next Saturday if they raise the funds.
Tension has been brewing over the five-kilometre border stretch for several years. According to Moyo LC5 boss Peter Iku Dolo, pressure started mounting after the 2005 agreement that led to the formation of the South Sudan government.
However, for some of the Ugandans in the border areas, this agreement marked the beginning of trouble. “We used to stay well here but after the peace agreement, the Sudanese started claiming their country extended up to where we have all along been staying together as one people,†Dolo said.
The Sudanese halted a road construction project worth sh700m and stopped construction of an MTN mast. Soldiers of SPLA often caned Ugandans they found in the disputed area. Two months ago, SPLA soldiers stormed Gwere village and chased away Ugandan farmers from their gardens. Ugandans responded by staging a massive demonstration and laying barricades at the border with Sudan. “We have, on three occasions, called the Commissioner of Kajo-keji (southern Sudan) to come and we sit to resolve this problem but he never responded,†Dolo said.
Clement Wani, the governor of the Central Equatoria state, said sections of the SPLA in Moyo and Kajo-keji contributed greatly to the conflict.
He, however, said the issue could have been solved without involving the presidents. “I think this issue does not need our presidents. We can call the elders and resolve the issue among ourselves.â€
His views were echoed by Kiir, who was concerned that a dispute over just 5km of land could jeopardise relations between people that have enjoyed good relations for ages. Besides, he said, it could divert attention from the bigger issues that his government has to deal with. “We, in Sudan, still have not got the peace we signed for. The border between the north and south has not yet been resolved,,†he said.
Museveni said border demarcations were resolved by colonialists. “The colonialists drew these lines long before and were clearly written.†He called on the citizens of the two countries to fight poverty instead of fighting over borders.
Whereas it is too early to tell how much difference the visit will make, it has started paying dividends. The south Sudan leaders have promised that construction of the MTN mast, which had stalled for over three years, will resume soon. Road construction will also resume. The commissoner for Kajo-keji County, who had been accused of frustrating reconciliation, shook hands with his Ugandan counterparts.
“Their visit has made things a lot better. Things have greatly changed here. Ugandans used not to interact easily with Sudanese. Now they are in good terms because the presidents have shown a good example on the ground,†said Canon Rev William Pashi, Archdeacon of Madi Archdeaconry.
Jackson Leju, a businessman in both Uganda and Sudan said the visit of the leaders has done a lot in removing the mistrust and suspicion between Ugandan and Sudanese communities.
“When they saw Museveni and Kiir moving and talking about the same issue and advocating peace and unity, many people realised it was useless to fight over border between the people of Moyo and Kajo-keji,†he said.
Like most people in the area, he is optimistic that the meeting would bring back the good relationship between the Sudanese and Ugandan communities.
A meeting to resolve a border dispute between Uganda and Sudan has flopped but this has not disrupted the calm that returned to Moyo after a joint visit by President Yoweri Museveni and his south Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir.
The two presidents visited the disputed area last month and directed local leaders to resolve the issue. The first meeting was due to take place on Tuesday, but has been postponed due to lack of funds. “We have no money to host our guests,†said Moyo resident district commissioner, John Abingwa.
Over 200 people were expected from Koboko, Yumbe and Adjumani as well as Central Equatoria state in southern Sudan. Abingwa said the meeting will take place next Saturday if they raise the funds.
Tension has been brewing over the five-kilometre border stretch for several years. According to Moyo LC5 boss Peter Iku Dolo, pressure started mounting after the 2005 agreement that led to the formation of the South Sudan government.
However, for some of the Ugandans in the border areas, this agreement marked the beginning of trouble. “We used to stay well here but after the peace agreement, the Sudanese started claiming their country extended up to where we have all along been staying together as one people,†Dolo said.
The Sudanese halted a road construction project worth sh700m and stopped construction of an MTN mast. Soldiers of SPLA often caned Ugandans they found in the disputed area. Two months ago, SPLA soldiers stormed Gwere village and chased away Ugandan farmers from their gardens. Ugandans responded by staging a massive demonstration and laying barricades at the border with Sudan. “We have, on three occasions, called the Commissioner of Kajo-keji (southern Sudan) to come and we sit to resolve this problem but he never responded,†Dolo said.
Clement Wani, the governor of the Central Equatoria state, said sections of the SPLA in Moyo and Kajo-keji contributed greatly to the conflict.
He, however, said the issue could have been solved without involving the presidents. “I think this issue does not need our presidents. We can call the elders and resolve the issue among ourselves.â€
His views were echoed by Kiir, who was concerned that a dispute over just 5km of land could jeopardise relations between people that have enjoyed good relations for ages. Besides, he said, it could divert attention from the bigger issues that his government has to deal with. “We, in Sudan, still have not got the peace we signed for. The border between the north and south has not yet been resolved,,†he said.
Museveni said border demarcations were resolved by colonialists. “The colonialists drew these lines long before and were clearly written.†He called on the citizens of the two countries to fight poverty instead of fighting over borders.
Whereas it is too early to tell how much difference the visit will make, it has started paying dividends. The south Sudan leaders have promised that construction of the MTN mast, which had stalled for over three years, will resume soon. Road construction will also resume. The commissoner for Kajo-keji County, who had been accused of frustrating reconciliation, shook hands with his Ugandan counterparts.
“Their visit has made things a lot better. Things have greatly changed here. Ugandans used not to interact easily with Sudanese. Now they are in good terms because the presidents have shown a good example on the ground,†said Canon Rev William Pashi, Archdeacon of Madi Archdeaconry.
Jackson Leju, a businessman in both Uganda and Sudan said the visit of the leaders has done a lot in removing the mistrust and suspicion between Ugandan and Sudanese communities.
“When they saw Museveni and Kiir moving and talking about the same issue and advocating peace and unity, many people realised it was useless to fight over border between the people of Moyo and Kajo-keji,†he said.
Like most people in the area, he is optimistic that the meeting would bring back the good relationship between the Sudanese and Ugandan communities.