By Inyakuni Kennedy

Regional

Moyo and Yumbe district leaders are set for a high level bilateral meeting with the leadership of kajo-keji County in Eastern equatorial state South Sudan to resolve the long outstanding international border conflict between Moyo and Yumbe districts in Uganda and kajo-keji in South Sudan.

The call for the meeting scheduled for Friday 19^th may 2023 in Moyo district follows the recent attack on the residents of Gwere north village in Lefori Sub County Moyo district where over fifty grass thatched houses were burnt and over 2000 people displaced by armed forces from South Sudan.

Speaking during a meeting held at Moyo people’s hall in Moyo district, the leadership of the two districts have expressed disappointments over the failure by the two head of states in resolving the conflict once and for all to avoid such clashes. They have called for peaceful and harmonious co-existence between the two communities amidst the challenges.

Mr. Williams Anyama the chairperson Moyo district, said the mistake government of Uganda has done is waiting for South Sudan to resettle.  “Government of Uganda is saying South Sudan is not yet well settled not knowing they are already at their best. By the way government of South Sudan is already settled, and that’s how they will always be. You can not expect a better government to come. Before a better one comes, it’s dissolved and another war comes. So we can not wait for them to resettle when there are issues affecting us,” Anyama said.


Mr. Julian Ssekamwa, Moyo Deputy RDC

Mr. Julian Ssekamwa, the Moyo deputy resident district commissioner (DRDC) remarked that UPDF is working hand in hand with the army in South Sudan to bring sanity in the area since government of Uganda has cordial working relationship with South Sudan. According RDC, the meeting will involve high profile government officials from the two heads of the state including South Sudan embassy in Uganda and the central governments of the two countries.
Currently the victims of the armed attack who are mainly Madi and Aringa origins are in reception center in Yumbe district being supported by United Nations High Commission for refugee (UNHCR), office of the Prime Minister (OPM) after been displaced from Gwere north village.

Mr. Abdul-Mutwalib the chairperson Yumbe district remarked that the victims must be compensated for the property and animals lost in the hands of armed forces. However, he blamed Uganda people’s defense forces for the delayed response to the attack. “My concern is on Sunday 7^th may 2023 was the day when the commissioner of kajo-keji County mobilized his people and militia started operations of the attack on Monday until Wednesday when the civilians who gathered at the barracks realized the situation was worsening, they had to mobilize themselves to go to where their properties were destroyed, it was when the UPDF responded. If the UPDF had responded in time, the huge volume of houses and others properties were not going to be destroyed,” Abdul Mutwalib noted.

But the leadership of Uganda people defense forces (UPDF) denied the claims saying their operations are guided by the international boundary. According to the leaders as UPDF, they can not operate beyond the limits of the borders since the mobilization of the militia was done inside South Sudan though the attack was on Ugandan land. The army has vowed to continue with patrol along the disputed border lines in order restore peace in the area before the displaced persons are resettled back to their land so as continue engaging in income generating activities since majority are peasant farmers.
During the attack one south Sudanese woman was killed and hundreds of heads of cattle lost.

COVER PHOTO: Armed forces in south sudan. Courtesy Photo