Museveni, Kiir inspect disputed border area
Nov 24, 2009
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni and Southern Sudan president Salva Kiir yesterday inspected the disputed Uganda-Sudan border area and called for calm.
BY DRADENYA AMAZIA AND CHRIS OCOWUN
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni and Southern Sudan president Salva Kiir yesterday inspected the disputed Uganda-Sudan border area and called for calm.
The two leaders said the border dispute should not spoil the good relationship that exists between the two countries.
Salva Kiir said the problem for them is not their common frontier but rather the demarcation of the boundary with Northern Sudan.
He noted that some fertile and oil-rich areas that are supposed to be in Southern Sudan were shifted to the North.
“We are one (with Uganda) and there is no reason why we cannot live together. In the past, Sudanese crossed and lived in Uganda when we had problems,†he observed.
“We believe there is no need for passports to cross to and from Southern Sudan and Uganda.
Let’s move freely now that we want to rebuild the lives of the people who suffered from the war.â€
Addressing local leaders from both countries at Afoji migration post, Kiir noted that the implementation of the peace agreement and the referendum were bigger concerns to them.
“We still have not got the peace we signed for. The border between the north and south has not been resolved which is a serious issue.â€
He added that they expect Uganda to take the lead in recognising Southern Sudan as an independent country if it voted for secession in the 2011 referendum.
Museveni asked Moyo chairperson Peter Iku Dolo to explain the border dispute.
He narrated that the conflict began after the signing of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement. “We lived in harmony but after the peace agreement, the Sudanese claimed their country had been extended,†Dolo said.
He said the two communities have since clashed on several occasions.
He cited incidents when the Sudanese halted a sh700m road construction project, blocked the construction of an MTN communication mast and tortured Ugandans whom they accused of trespass.
“On three occasions, I invited the commissioner of Kajo-Keji (Southern Sudan) to resolve this problem but he never responded,†Dolo said when Kiir asked whether he had tried to bring on board the commissioner.
Clement Wani, the governor of Central Equatoria, said the SPLA in Moyo and Kajo-Keji contributed greatly to the problem.
He, however, believed the issue could be solved by the elders and local authorities.
Museveni said border issues are not the responsibility of political leaders. He noted that there are colonial records in the archives that show the boundaries.
The two leaders then travelled to Jale border point where they inspected the MTN site.
The leaders resolved that the border dispute will be handled at a meeting on December 2 in Moyo, involving all the leaders from Central Equatoria, Moyo and Yumbe.
Wani said the construction of the MTN mast and the road, which had stalled for over three years, can resume.
Other disputed areas between the two countries are Pa-anjala in Dufile sub-county near the River Nile, Gbari in Metu sub-county and Gwere in Lefori.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni and Southern Sudan president Salva Kiir yesterday inspected the disputed Uganda-Sudan border area and called for calm.
The two leaders said the border dispute should not spoil the good relationship that exists between the two countries.
Salva Kiir said the problem for them is not their common frontier but rather the demarcation of the boundary with Northern Sudan.
He noted that some fertile and oil-rich areas that are supposed to be in Southern Sudan were shifted to the North.
“We are one (with Uganda) and there is no reason why we cannot live together. In the past, Sudanese crossed and lived in Uganda when we had problems,†he observed.
“We believe there is no need for passports to cross to and from Southern Sudan and Uganda.
Let’s move freely now that we want to rebuild the lives of the people who suffered from the war.â€
Addressing local leaders from both countries at Afoji migration post, Kiir noted that the implementation of the peace agreement and the referendum were bigger concerns to them.
“We still have not got the peace we signed for. The border between the north and south has not been resolved which is a serious issue.â€
He added that they expect Uganda to take the lead in recognising Southern Sudan as an independent country if it voted for secession in the 2011 referendum.
Museveni asked Moyo chairperson Peter Iku Dolo to explain the border dispute.
He narrated that the conflict began after the signing of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement. “We lived in harmony but after the peace agreement, the Sudanese claimed their country had been extended,†Dolo said.
He said the two communities have since clashed on several occasions.
He cited incidents when the Sudanese halted a sh700m road construction project, blocked the construction of an MTN communication mast and tortured Ugandans whom they accused of trespass.
“On three occasions, I invited the commissioner of Kajo-Keji (Southern Sudan) to resolve this problem but he never responded,†Dolo said when Kiir asked whether he had tried to bring on board the commissioner.
Clement Wani, the governor of Central Equatoria, said the SPLA in Moyo and Kajo-Keji contributed greatly to the problem.
He, however, believed the issue could be solved by the elders and local authorities.
Museveni said border issues are not the responsibility of political leaders. He noted that there are colonial records in the archives that show the boundaries.
The two leaders then travelled to Jale border point where they inspected the MTN site.
The leaders resolved that the border dispute will be handled at a meeting on December 2 in Moyo, involving all the leaders from Central Equatoria, Moyo and Yumbe.
Wani said the construction of the MTN mast and the road, which had stalled for over three years, can resume.
Other disputed areas between the two countries are Pa-anjala in Dufile sub-county near the River Nile, Gbari in Metu sub-county and Gwere in Lefori.