Calm returns to South Sudan border town after Salva Kiir’s visit

By Isaac Vuni

March 21, 2009 (JUBA) — Situation in the borders towns of Yei and Nimule is back to normal following a visit by the president of southern Sudan government who ordered immediate payment of salary arrears to the mutinied soldiers.

SPLA war veterans staged demonstrations on Wednesday morning in Nimulé, Yei, Kaya and Moyo, paralyzing business there. Other border points were affected by the mutineers include Kajo-Keji which links Ugandan Oraba and Moyo to South Sudan. They protested the non-payment of their salaries for the last seven months.

The Commander in Chief of Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayadrit visited the town of Yei yesterday to meet with the disabled soldiers and ordered the SPLA command to pay the war victims six moths’ salaries in the whole southern Sudan.

The war veterans were immediately paid two months salaries plus sacks of grain to keep them waiting for remaining balances of four months.

President Kiir attributed the delay of payment to the belated transfer from central government in Khartoum compounded with fall in crude oil price in international market that has greatly affected southern block budget share of fifty percent from central government.

The disabled soldiers had protested by blocking roads for vehicles to enter southern Sudan while firing and beating any person they come across.

The Kampala based Sunday Vision reported that Ugandan traders appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to tackle the issue with GOSS president Mayadrit. Thousands of Ugandan traders with their trucks full of produce have for the last three days been stuck at Bibia border due to the problem in Southern Sudan.

Kiir urged the disabled soldiers not to take law into their hand in order to get their rights and asked them to respect foreigners in southern Sudan investing in development of war torn southern Sudan.

Kiir was accompanied by Governor Clement Wani Konga who appealed to people of Yei to refrain from tribalism practices.

Contacted by telephone, officials from Nimule indicated Saturday morning that trucks that were abandoned in Aswa Bridge has not yet been removed but technicians are working to restore traffic flow.

Ugandan traders and Sudanese have fled and abandoned their trucks at Nimule in South Sudan following the closure of the Uganda-Sudan border by soldiers.

The breakdown of Aswa Bridge has forced business fraternity to double various prices of Ugandan merchandises to Juba town.

(ST)