UN haltes Sudanese refugees repatriation from Uganda
May 30, 2006 (KAMPALA) — The United Nations refugee agency has halted the repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Moyo District in northern Uganda over safety reasons.
This move follows reports that Liri, Nyepo and Limolo payams (sub-counties) in the refugees’ Kajo Keji home land are riddled with explosives.
Southern Sudan’s government forces and NGOs have intensified the search and destruction of the explosives before the relocation of the aliens can commence. The UNHCR, the American Relief Committee and local government authorities have settled about 2,463 returnees in Kangapo I and II payams that have been declared secure.
UNHCR plans to resettle all the 2,880 refugees who registered to pioneer the homecoming. Currently, Moyo District hosts 33,332 Sudanese refugees living in 27 clusters.
According to the Ugandan Daily Monitor, the voluntary repatriation exercise, which started on 2 May, would now be switched to Arua District with effect from 6 June. The refugees in the district would be relocated to Yei County in southern Sudan. The last batch of 282 refugees from Palorinya settlement camp in Moyo District, left aboard seven trucks at 8.41 a.m. on Saturday 27 May.
But at Onigo, about 3.2 kms to Moyo town, one of the trucks in the convoy which was carrying bicycles and furniture for the refugees crashed. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly trying to avoid hitting a woman who had abruptly emerged from the bushy surrounding and he lost control. The woman threw a bundle of firewood that she was carrying and ran into the nearby thicket. The driver, Mr Abubakar Adraiga, sustained serious injuries in the chest and cuts on the head. He was rushed to Moyo Hospital and was admitted.
There was jubilation and heroic songs were sang as the long motorcade of the refugees entered the UNHCR transit base at Kajo Keji at 10.47 a.m. Maj-Gen Clement Wani Konga, the governor of Central Equatorial State, received the returnees amid very tight security provided by mean-looking Sudan People’s Liberation Army troops.
“I thank the government of Uganda for offering dignified host to our citizens since 1955 and especially so in the last 22 years of our civil wars,” Konga said.
“We are also grateful to UNHCR for facilitating this marvellous return.” Konga directed his finance minister and Ms Oliver Mile, the commissioner of Kajo Keg County, to stop visa charges for Africans entering south Sudan.
Early this year, Sudan announced hiked immigration fares under which in-comers would pay 35 dollars (about 70,000 shillings for a three-months single entry or 70 dollars (about 140,000 shillings) for multiple entry three-six months visa respectively.
“The taxes must stop immediately,” the governors ordered.
(ST)