Ugandan envoy hails South Sudan efforts to improve Juba Security
By Isaac Vuni
December 9, 2007 (JUBA, Sudan) — The security situation in Juba and the surrounding areas has now greatly improved and offer ample opportunities for flourishing of business, Ugandan Consulate General Busho Ndinyenka has said.
Speaking during an Interview with Journalists from various media houses in Juba last Friday Consul Busho emphasized that the ruling SPLM party and Uganda had the same experiences of waging national liberation struggle from the bushes for the purpose of correcting governing systems in their respective counties now are enjoying cordially good relationship which is growing stronger day by day.
Busho further said that government of southern Sudan (GoSS) has accorded Ugandan consulate team the necessary support especially the host state of Central Equatoria who offers them office and accommodation premises. “I and my staff are treated with respect and dignity by southern Sudanese nationals”.
Responding to Question on Ugandan media reports that more than twenty Ugandan citizens were killed in and around Juba the capital of Southern Sudan within this year, Consul Busho says there has been a lot of media interest in coverage about Ugandan in Southern Sudan and the problems they faced, however, the media exaggerates the figure of people killed under various incidences, which he say are less than five.
He pointed out that Southern Sudan borders are free for anyone to enter even without proper traveling document. “It’s very difficult for Ugandan authorities to know the number of her citizens living in Southern Sudan,” emphasized Busho.
However, he estimated that there are between seven to ten thousands Ugandan citizens living in Southern Sudan adding that his office has registered those Ugandan working in southern Sudan for more than three months; otherwise, most of Ugandan traders sell their merchandise through mobiling on weekly basis.
“I would also imagine that some crooks and bad guys from neighboring countries find Southern Sudan their safe heaven by taking advantage of Southern Sudanese hospitality and theft free environment where one can sleep outside beside his/her goods yet nobody robe them as are the cases in neighbouring countries,” remarks Busho.
However consul Busho said these problems are expected because Southern Sudan has just emerged from a long war situation where there was hardly law and order including policing. Consequently Juba becomes congested quickly with many Ugandan and other foreigners seeking various types of job opportunities.
The biggest markets of Konyo Konyo and Yei road custom are mixed with bars and accommodations and a military barrack is across the road. Therefore, there are cases of prostitutions being perpetuated under the influence of excess beer drinking compounded with transparent mini dressing by female who are the night dwellers, observed Ugandan consul.
Busho further stated that the Governor of Central Equatoria State has accepted request of Ugandan traders to separate markets from Bars in order to make the market a working place than mixing with bars and accommodation.
Since the unfortunate killing of the Ugandan community vice chairman late Anthony Makunyi, by a renegade soldier last September, the so called alarming insecurity has now greatly improved in and around Juba the capital of southern Sudan. Hence, Ugandan communities have established an interim community body to manage their daily affairs in Juba the capital of Southern Sudan that should be legally registered, disclosed Busho.
The chairman of Ugandan traders, Yassin Mugisha, described the current situation of the traders as satisfactory. “There is no more harassment, rape, theft or intimidation; however there are few cases which are on individual bases”, assured Mugisha.
According to Mrs. Nlong Mary, the alleged cases of rape could have been avoided had the victims not exposed themselves by wondering Juba custom market at wrong hours.
“It is not only in Juba, but also in Kampala or villages when you are out there at odds hours, you expose yourself to dangers”, emphasized Mary.
Mrs. Mandezia Justine, Bar Manager at Custom marketing Juba said rape cases and other bad things matted to Ugandan have now stopped in Juba. She said her beer used to be drunk without payment by some men who are holding guns and are in plain cloth threatening to shoot her whenever she ask for money. She also disclosed that there are individuals Ugandan who look for those problems, citing example of Ugandan ladies renting house behind her bar for luring men for prostitutions.
Meanwhile a Kenyan business lady management a hotel in Juba town, ask not to be named, said Kenyan are not facing any treats of rape or harassment from Sudanese soldiers or organized forces. However, she blamed Ugandan female for exposing themselves half naked and practicing open prostitutions, a thing which Sudanese are not used to in Juba the capital of Southern Sudan.
The First Lieutenant Musa Wotdad of Sudan military police base at Juba Yei custom disclosed that SPLA headquarters has now successfully organized the intergraded SPLA soldiers and provided them with two types of uniforms that must be wearing by all those soldiers on duty. If any civilian identify an SPLA in a different uniform, they should immediately report it to either military police or regular police who will immediately respond and arrest such a soldier for further administrative interrogation including necessary action.
“We are patrolling Juba throughout the night searching those purporting to be SPLA involved in looting the innocent people of their properties including rapping women at guns point,” explained Wotdad.
First Lt. Wotdad revealed that they (MPs) have arrested several people involve in attacking and looting people at night and handed them over to regular police including some demobilized soldiers who took advantage of the situation to loot others at gun point and those found guilty will be taken to face either military of civil court.
The majorities of Ugandan traders running several stalls in Konyo-konyo, Custom and Jebel Kujur markets in Juba acknowledge that the situation of the so called harassments of Ugandan citizens in Juba have now greatly improved. However, they condemn some of their fellow Ugandan for loitering at latest hours of the night and pledge to set up disciplinary committee to address such issues in order to maintain cordial relationship with peace loving Southern Sudanese nationals.
(ST)