Illegal S. Sudan refugees pose security threats, OPM says

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has expressed concern over the increasing number of South Sudan refugees sneaking into the country through porous borders.

In mid 2020, President Museveni directed for the closure of Uganda’s border with South Sudan in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Julius Kamuza, the Palabek Refugee Settlement Commandant, told Daily Monitor that their investigations indicate that refugees take advantage of  illegal entry points since the main border points are closed. 

In Lamwo District, refugees are hosted at Palabek Refugee Settlement in Palabek Ogili Sub-county.

“We did investigations and assessments and our findings were that these refugees are not using the gazetted border points and as I am talking, there are more who are still coming into Uganda,” Mr Kamuzu said.

He said they register between 50 and 70 refugees per week. 

“...While at the border, we used to take precautions against Covid-19 by testing them. Those who turn negative, we allow them to continue but those positive are retained, isolated and treated before being allowed to advance,” Mr Kamuza said.

He said the porous border stretches from Moyo to Lamwo District.

“Our partners have the budget in place, when we have 50 or 20 that is a number that cannot put pressure on the little resource at the hands of these organisations because previously they have been sustaining even 3,000 refugees before lockdown.”

Recently, OPM noted in a report that most of the refugees come to pick food and money distributed by humanitarian agencies and then return to South Sudan.

At the end of 2020, OPM repatriated hundreds of refugees, who had sneaked into Uganda before setting up a taskforce to seal off the illegal border points. 

Lt Ahmad Hassan Kato, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces 4th Division spokesperson, said this poses a huge threat to Uganda’s security, adding that several illegal border points were sealed off five months ago.

“We continue to encounter more influx of the refugees through the border points wherever there are clashes in South Sudan and we hand them over to OPM at either Moyo, Adjumani or Lamwo for further management,” Lt Kato said.

He added that recently UPDF sealed off 27 porous border entry points from Yumbe and 15 in Moyo District.  

“They might have opened up new paths into the country through the neighbouring districts but we are currently expediting and intensifying the search for the new illegal entry points to be sealed off,” Lt Kato said.

Last week, UPDF repatriated two National Salvation Front (NSF) rebels to South Sudan after they were arrested in January over entering Uganda illegally.

Cpl Victor Batali, 43, and Pte Augustine Yakal, 21, were handed over to South Sudan security authorities during exercises conducted at both the UPDF 4th Division headquarters and Elegu border post on October 12.

The pair was arrested from Koboko and Moyo districts.

“Uganda is not a haven for hiding its neighbour’s enemies at the compromise of our peace and development. It’s in our mandate to ensure the security of our borderline, our country,” Lt Kato added.