Deputy CDF, Lt Gen Charles Angina on arrival in Juba where he recently met UPDF soldiers on a stabilisation mission in the war-torn country

Deputy CDF, Lt Gen Charles Angina on arrival in Juba where he recently met UPDF soldiers on a stabilisation mission in the war-torn country

Security is investigating circumstanced under which suspected Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) held hostage several local leaders and journalists in Wano Village, Moyo district during a national census exercise on Thursday.

Both Uganda and South Sudan claim the town falls in their territory.

The incident, which caused tension in Moyo, comes just a week after Uganda and South Sudan officials met in Kampala to lay out mechanisms of avoiding confrontation in the disputed border town.

The meeting held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kampala recommended the “establishment of the Joint Border Verification and Demarcation Committee and signing of MOU on Joint border verification and Demarcation.”
Hon Jorome Surur, the Governor of Eastern Equatorial State said since there is a lot in common between Uganda and South Sudan, there is need for good neighbourliness especially along the borders.

However, this was in contrast with the conduct of SPLA officials in Moyo.

Army spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda said he would make through consultations on the latest development, given its sensitivity, and revert to Chimpreports.

However, Moyo District Police Commander, Milton Bwembale told journalists today that the District LC5 chairman, Jimmy Vukoni, his deputy Paul Maiku and Health Secretary, Martin Izaruku, were captured and detained at an unknown area by SPLA soldiers.

Three journalists from Daily Monitor, Voice of the Nile and Trans-Nile Broadcasting service were also held. Two UPDF officers operating as enumerators were also taken captive by heavily-armed SPLA personnel. Five civilians were also seized on gun-point.

Officials said government was mulling a response over today’s incident.

How it started

In October 2011, the Government of South Sudan asked STATT to be part of a team seeking resolution of a boundary dispute between Moyo district of Uganda’s Northern Region and Kajokeji county of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state.

At the time of publication, around 100 representatives from communities in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo had just met in northern Uganda at Koboko to discuss border management.

STATT’s initial task, focused on Moyo and Kajokeji, included obtaining testimony from locals on each side of the border, to identify the areas of dispute and the justification of claims.

The area has lacked formal demarcation as a result of inconclusive steps taken during and after colonial times.

Elders from each country have different accounts of who is entitled to the strip of land along the border, but it is important to note that they primarily explain these claims first in terms of clan and family, and only occasionally with reference to competing national claims.

The two governments have tried to resolve the conflict at the executive level. In 2009, then Vice President of Southern Sudan Salva Kiir and President Museveni of Uganda brought together authorities from the two areas, including elders, to resolve the conflict. They charged Ministers to resolve the conflict peacefully.

Resolutions

During the meeting in Kampala, the two sides presented areas of dispute; Uganda presenting 10 while South Sudan 40.

It was resolved that Community sensitization process on the need to demarcate and survey the common border should kick start and joint border monitoring and pacification committees be formed immediately to resolve border conflicts among the communities living in disputed areas.

But a full demarcation of the border is yet to take place.

The next meeting of Ugandans and South Sudan officials on the disputed town is slated to take place in Juba in November after more consultations have been made and enough documentation sought.