S. Sudan Gov’t Planning to Kidnap Refugees in Uganda – Machar Rebels

South Sudan rebels allied to the country’s former First Vice- President Riek Machar claimed that the South Sudanese government was planning to kidnap and track down refugees in Ugandan resettlement camps and Kampala town.

Lam Paul Gabriel SPLA-IO deputy spokesperson told news outlet, Sudan Tribune that they got intelligence that the South Sudanese security service in the West Nile region of Uganda plans to abduct South Sudanese opponents in Ugandan.

He further provided the name of an intelligence officer saying he was assigned in Arua district to coordinate with the South Sudan embassy in Kampala for activities in relation to kidnapping.

“The group is sent with much money for bribing (Ugandan) officers to facilitate their evil plan of abduction and deportation. Two wounded soldiers, two officers of the SPLA-IO and an ambulance driver have been arrested and detained in Koboko,” he reportedly said.

Koboko is a town in the northern region of Uganda.

He said the crackdown exercise is extended to South Sudan refugees along the border towns and some areas in Kampala, on the basis that they are supporters and sympathizers of the SPLM/A-IO.

“The SPLA-IO condemns such dubious activities of the regime in Juba and calls upon the Uganda government to prevent the spill-over of the insecurity from South Sudan by cracking down those elements sent to carry out operational activities that violate Uganda’s territorial integrity,” he added.

The rebel deputy spokesperson has urged the government of Uganda to maintain its previous honest policy aiming to secure the border and prevent cross-border violence.

REPORT/SUDAN TRIBUNE

Koch Madut