Territorial dispute: SPLA soldiers stop road construction in Lamwo District
Sudan People's Liberation Army in Government soldiers at the Uganda South Sudan border point of Elegu. Photo by Julius Ocungi
What you need to know:
- The soldiers were later flushed out by the UPDF soldiers leaving one of the militias dead.
- In December same year, more than 300 armed SPLA soldiers confronted Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) workers and demanded them to stop work on 86.4 kilometer Acholibur Musingo road citing they had crossed into South Sudan by seven kilometers.
LAMWO. Armed Sudan People’s Liberation Army in government [SPLA-IG] soldiers have halted a road survey in Agoro Sub County, Lamwo District in what could be a fresh row over territorial boundary.
Road engineers from Pamp Bless Company contracted to undertake survey of a 21 kilometers road from Agoro Sub County to Apiriti market at the South Sudan border were on Wednesday confronted by SPLA soldiers who accused them of crossing into South Sudan territory.
Under the Project for the Restoration of Livelihoods in Northern Uganda [PRELNOR], Lamwo District officials had proposed the construction of the road to ease trade between locals in Agoro Sub County and those in Torit state.
The Agoro Sub County Chairperson, Mr Denis Onyon, told Daily Monitor in an interview that over 60 armed SPLA soldiers led by the clan chief of Tseretenya in Geria County stormed the surveyors and demanded them to stop their activities.
Mr Onyon said the South Sudanese officials alleged the team from Uganda encroached on their territory during the survey exercise.
“The soldiers were very many and armed, they violently confronted our Ugandan team with accusation that they have crossed to their territory. We want government intervention in this matter as soon as possible,” Mr Onyon said.
The Lamwo Resident District Commissioner, Mr Jonathan Rutabingwa, said they have informed government officials in Kampala and also contacted the governor of Torit State Mr Alberio Tobiolo to discuss ways of fostering an understanding minus stopping the road works.
“We have accepted their demands to halt the road survey in good faith so that no clashes erupt. We want to have cordial talks with the South Sudanese counterparts to come to a common ground, the road once complete will benefit not only Ugandans but also South Sudanese,” Mr Rutabingwa said.
Mr Rutabingwa noted that despite the allegations by the South Sudanese counterparts, the coordinates indicates the disputed area belongs to Uganda.
Mr John Ogwok, the Lamwo District Chairperson said the dispute over the territory is bound to delay the road project which would benefit both the South Sudanese and Ugandans in boosting cross border trade.
“The team were on survey to get a proper road design and costing, now that the exercise has been halted, we are not sure when these designs and costs for the road works will be availed to the district,” Mr Ogwok said.
Past incidence
In August 2015, more than 200 armed militias from Magwi County in South Sudan entered nine kilometers into Ugandan territory at Lokung Sub-county in Lamwo claiming it belongs to them.
The soldiers were later flushed out by the UPDF soldiers leaving one of the militias dead.
In December same year, more than 300 armed SPLA soldiers confronted Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) workers and demanded them to stop work on 86.4 kilometer Acholibur Musingo road citing they had crossed into South Sudan by seven kilometers.
