The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Lamwo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | South Sudan authorities have accused Ugandan security personnel and immigration border officials of alleged harassment of their nationals while exiting and entering their at the border points in Lamwo district.
The concern was raised by authorities of the South Sudanese Ikotos county who petitioned the Lamwo Resident district commissioner alleging that their nationals had been facing inhuman treatment allegedly perpetrated by officials manning the Apiriti border posts in Madi Opei sub county, Lamwo district.
The Ifuda-Bomah Chief of Tseretenya in Ikotos County, Peter Odwar confirmed of having received reports from his people who have allegedly suffered various forms of harassment including, alleged extortion, beatings and detentions, while crossing the official border points in Uganda.
According to Odwar, last month alone seven South Sudanese asylum seekers who while returning home were detained and only released upon being subjected to paying a bribe of 50,000 shillings each to the immigration officials at the Apiriti border post.
The South Sudan Ikotos County Inspector of Police Mathew Ocan reveals having got reports from the local residents who while digging along the borders and some locals who had gone hunting in the wilderness had been fired at with live bullets by Ugandan security forces.
Ocan also made inquiries on cases registered by some locals over a missing person whose relatives claim had traveled to Agoro in Uganda on business trip but had reportedly been killed by the Uganda security forces.
The Ikotos County Commissioner John Ikwang Ceaser asked officials at both border sides to work in harmony and desist against violating rights of immigrants but also called on his counterpart in Lamwo district to ensure that the claims registered are investigated and the alleged perpetrators brought to book.
Ikwang stressed on the need by both countries to observe the East African Community protocols where nationals from both countries are treated equally with dignity regardless of their background or nationality.
The Lamwo Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega didn’t rule out the possibility of mishaps admitting to the fact that some errant immigration officers implicated of corruption have been reprimanded. He also says that some claimants could have fallen prey to the vice for flouting the presidential directive against the spread of the deadly coronavirus but pledged to investigate the claims and take appropriate action against the concerned officers.
On allegations against the security forces, Kidega refuted the claims saying game haunting in Uganda is illegal and prohibited and also added that those killed by the forces in Uganda could have been criminals engaged in illicit trade and cattle rustling activities.
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