Reported by
Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. Ugandan citizens living along the South Sudan border want their government to compensate them for the losses incurred during the insurgencies that happened along the border in 2014.
This matter was raised on the floor of the parliament, questioning the status of boundaries with South Sudan, leading to halting of various activities in the region.
West Moyo member of parliament honorable Tom Aza reports that activities including the construction of telecom masts, roads and other projects were stopped due to fear of attacks and vandalism by South Sudan rebel groups.
The speaker of the parliament of Uganda Rebecca Kadaga, directed the prime minister, the defense minister and minister of lands to look into that matter and and find out whether Uganda borders along South Sudan are demarcated.
Uganda and South Sudan relations before the disputes
Uganda has been long considered the big brother of its young neighboring country South Sudan. President Yoweri Museveni supported South Sudan to get independent from Sudanese government in Khartoum in 2011.
And he also fought to bring peace in this country by mediating the two parties which almost tore this young country, that of Riek Machar South Sudan former vice president and rebel leader and president Salva Kiir.
But the disputes started in 2014, when South Sudan’s rebel group started attacking Ugandans living in South Sudan, and those who were working in that country and along other borders of the two countries, accusing Uganda government of supporting president Salva Kiir which they denied saying that they only sent troops to help evacuate several Ugandan citizens from South Sudan.
This led to thousands of refugees crossing into Uganda from South Sudan, every day running for their lives.
Will the people be compensated?
Speaker Kadaga after listening to honorable Aza’s report, she directed the prime minister, minister of defense and that of land to establish the boundary status among others concerns.
“The prime minister is requested to examine the issue of compensation of the people near the South Sudan border as proposed by honorable Aza, secondary the minister for lands who is here, we have a border dispute with the Sudan, that our border lines not known.” Kadaga said.
Kadaga added that in the last parliament the Sudanes grabbed and even arrested some committee members from Uganda side for some time.
“We would like to know are the boundaries known? are they clear? please take an interest in that.” Kadaga.
She also asked the minister of defense to ensure that Uganda boarders and the population are secured from indiscriminate attacks from neighboring country.
Uganda is one of the biggest supplier of goods and services to South Sudan, almost all the food that is consumed in that country is from Uganda.
Before the disputes many Ugandans were migrating to Juba for work, and they were doing all sorts of jobs and businesses. From selling food staffs, running restaurants, operating in night clubs and many more, but because of the insecurity in that country many of them left their businesses behind to save their lives.
Musa Katana a truck driver who transports goods to Juba, while talking to our AFP reporter he said that the situation is still tense, and that to be safe they have to drive in convoy, and that if it clocks 9pm when one is not driving in a convoy the best thing to do is to park along side the road and spend the night there.
In October last year the South Sudan Army accused Uganda’s army of crossing the border in Magwi county with heavy artillery and forced the small number of South Sudan forces and some soldiers lost their lives.
But the Ugandan military spokeswoman Brig Flavia Byekwaso denied the accusations of Ugandan army crossing the border and going to South Sudanese side, but said that the incident happened within Uganda when Ugandan forces responded to an incursion by South Sudanese forces who were harassing local people , and they exchanged fire.
Although there are disputes along the borders of Uganda and South Sudan, the two country’s relation is moving on steadily and they both seek to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels.
