Influx of S. Sudanese a security threat - RDC
A South Sudanese woman carrying items she received from World Food Programme in Ayilo Ressettlement Camp in Adjumani District early this year, FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
Unrully. Border security is worried since the refugees are crossing into the country with arms
Gulu. The Gulu Resident District Commissioner, Ms Catherine Lamwaka, also the head of the district security committee, has raised fears over the increasing number of South Sudanese entering the region, arguing that the influx is a security threat.
This comes amid growing concerns that a new rebel group is on the verge of waging war against the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement government in South Sudan.
In an interview with Daily Monitor on Monday, Ms Lamwaka said the district had registered a number of South Sudanese nationals following suspicion of a breakaway faction of the SPLM “A number of South Sudanese nationals fleeing to the region is on the rise. Intelligence information at the border reveals that a breakaway section of the SPLA/M are re-grouping and planning to wage another attack on the South Sudan Government,” she said.
Security alert
The threats have kept us on our toes monitoring security at the border post, Ms Lamwaka said.
She added: “The immigration office has been well informed and is now designing mechanisms of how they can reach this community, so that they are able to assess the numbers of refugees that have entered the district.”
She added that they are also watchful of the impact the refugees are causing in the community, noting that if they are friendly people living well and respecting the laws, then they will have no problem.
Ms Lamwaka said the district cannot rule out the fact that the region is insecure since South Sudanese are entering the country while armed.
Gulu District Police Commander Martin Okoyo, however, assured the public that the police are on the alert, and will maintain calm in the region.
“We are assuring the public that this should not cause any panic,” he said
The influx
According to police, more than 300 South Sudanese have entered Uganda through Nimule border post since Monday last week. In December last year, war broke out in south Sudan, between the warring factions of Dr Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives while more than 1.2 million people were displaced into neighboring countries according to the United Nations.
