Refugees selling relief food, says official
The queue. Some of the South Sudan refugees children line up for porridge at Rhino Camp Settlement in Arua District PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
What you need to know:
- At the moment, Uganda is hosting more than 700,000 South Sudanese refugees, the highest numbers ever recorded in history according to UNHCR statistics.
- Majority of the refugees being hosted in northern Uganda crossed into the country following the renewed fights that erupted last year between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those of his former Vice president Riek Machar.
Amuru. South Sudan refugees in Adjumani District are selling relief food supplied by the Office of the Prime Minister, officials have revealed.
According to reports obtained at the district officies, the refugees upon receiving the relief items cross back into South Sudan via Elegu boarder to sell the food items.
“Our people are starving but surprisingly when given food they instead take it back home and the sell it off. As leaders we are against this and soon we shall forward it to higher authorities,” The Amuru District chairperson, Mr Michael Lakony noted.
Currently, there are 220,000 South Sudan refugees across the 18 settlements in the Adjumani District.
The Adjumani District chairperson, Mr James Leku, feigned ignorance about the alleged selling of food but instead said there are some refugees from Nimule and Kajokeji who keep going back home to check on their relatives.
“At times, they get back home to check on their relatives and share with them the little resources they have on them,” Mr Leku said.
He added: “Due to the starvation back home some refugees when they get food in the settlements, they take to their relatives who are also doing badly back,” he said.
The desk officer at the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Titus Jogo, also said there has not been any such report but was not dismissive saying that if it’s happening; it could be due to the porous border points.
At the moment, Uganda is hosting more than 700,000 South Sudanese refugees, the highest numbers ever recorded in history according to UNHCR statistics.
Majority of the refugees being hosted in northern Uganda crossed into the country following the renewed fights that erupted last year between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those of his former Vice president Riek Machar.
