Refugees accuse hosts of exploitation, abuse

Yumbe. Representatives of the South Sudan youth refugees have broken the silence about their ordeal in settlement camps, citing among other tribulations, sexual abuse by fellow refugees and host community.
They also said justice is elusive in most cases and that some Ugandans exploit them by hiring and underpaying them for menial jobs.
Nineteen-year-old Rose Abau lives in Bidi Bidi Camp in Yumbe District and ekes out a living by doing garden work for paying residents, but gets cheated.
“I work in someone’s garden on an agreement of Shs10,000 but at the end, he pays me Shs2,500 or less. I was living a good life in my country and I would like to go back,” Ms Abau said.
She has lived in Uganda since September 2, 2016, but dreads restricted movements out of the camp and yearns for a return home where she can live in dignity when the fighting stops.
“Besides, there are many groups of youth from host community and our fellow refugees who target us girls. Many of my colleagues have been raped and defiled. We’re living in tension all the time,” Ms Abau said.
She is not alone. And the threat is worse because many young boys in refugee camps are taking to drug abuse.
In June, 11 boys allegedly gang-raped a 16-year-old girl, according to Samuel Wani, the refugee welfare council (RWC) chairman. Teenage marriages are rampant in the camp.
“Imagine a 16-year-old marrying a 15-year-old and they both rely on food donation,” he said, adding, “Such people have often engaged in fights because of failure to provide for the family. Some steal and sell donated food just to get money for buying alcohol and mairungi,” he said.
The face of suffering manifests differently for each refugee.
Mr Simon Aliki, 22, who escaped gunfire from Yei River County on August 24, 2016, said he is fed up of being exploited and would rather be trained as a mechanic or carpenter. He currently digs pit latrines to get some cash in the pocket.
“People hire me to dig a latrine at Shs30,000. Because this soil is rocky and very hard to dig, I also hire two other boys. It takes us about two weeks to finish. At the end we earn Shs10,000 each!” he said.
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is responsible for welfare of refugees, their protection is the responsibility of Uganda through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Uganda has earned global praise due to its liberal refugee policy under which a refugee is given a piece of land for farming, allowed to work if skilled and or do business.
We were unable to reach the UN refugee agency for a comment for this story, but Mr Christopher Angualia, the OPM refugee settlement commandant at Bidi Bidi, condemned the alleged rights and sexual abuses.
“We need more concerted efforts to help motivate and sensitise these youthful refugees on gender-based violence and health matters,” he noted.
At the refugee camp in Yumbe last Saturday, the youth gathered to learn and share experiences during a tailored sensitisation under Reach A Hand Uganda’s Women, Adolescents and Young people programme.