Sudanese in Uganda celebrate Christmas with quest to go home
By Philip Thon Aleu
December 26, 2008 (KOBOKO) – With two weeks left until the fourth anniversary of Sudan’s peace, thousands of Southern Sudanese remain in exile, celebrating festival seasons. Though happy, they would prefer to return home.
Thousands of Sudanese Christians in Uganda–including a good number in Kampala and Koboko–turned up for the Christmas prays In Koboko’s St. Mark Church Nyarilo, 2322 people attended the last service for the Dinka community of Sudan.
Being the last service in this church where four different groups pray, Sudanese have to think about going home.
A thirteen year-old girl who led a choir that entertained the congregation spoke about her dream to return home: “Last night we witnessed the birth of Jesus in our home but in various huts. We were supposed to spend the whole night here [at church] praying if it was in our country,” she said before asking the Christians to pray for peace and security back home.
Most Southern Sudanese refugees quitted the camps soon after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. Asked to elaborate on his reasons for preferring to remain in exile, a man identified as Michael answered, “So, you can not take your children home where they wouldn’t get these basic services.” He was speaking about health and education service.
As standards of living are generally similar for nationals and foreigners in northern Uganda, Southern Sudanese have to add rental fees to their expenditures. But the Sudanese communities do not have space to cultivate and erect huts of their own. However, the Kaku of Central Equatoria in Southern Sudan have fellow tribesmen in Uganda and at least can obtain a plot to build huts of their own.
Meanwhile, the UN has started repatriating Sudanese refugees based in camps. Their livelihoods are based on importing from Southern Sudan, as well as business activities and assistance from the so-called Sudanese Lost Boys in the United States.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Sudanese in Uganda celebrate Christmas with quest to go home
Look at this Junglese, they hate Uganda but still they are there enjoying themselves with stoelen Pounds from Goss. No body will agree on any of your idea, because you call some Equatorians Ugandans and Congolese but still they have given you an opportunity to be in Uganda, because without the link of Uganda nilotics and Sudnese nilotics in Greater Equatoria, you should have faced the same problem like in Egypt got shot every night like street dogs. Be wise and understand yourselves, because the whole prosperous your getting in Uganda with Goss pounds and even here in Equatoria comes from the love that Equatorians have shown to the World, they value each and everyone to live peaceful in their Environment. Junglese are just like a kitten who eats here and still deposing its waste material in thesame area definately you benefits and still acting moron.