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Ajumani, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Local authorities in Arinyapi sub-county, Adjumani district have intercepted 200 South Sudanese refugees who illegally entered into Uganda between March and June this year. The refugees were crossing through the porous areas of Unyama from South Sudan’s Nimule town.
Richard Amoko, the Arinyapi local council III chairperson said those who crossed into the country illegally were arrested by the sub-county COVID-19 taskforce before they were handed over to security.
He said 100 registered South Sudanese refugees living in settlements across Adjumani district have also been intercepted as they attempted to cross back to their country during operations that have been running over the last three months.
Taban Peter Data, the Adjumani Resident District Commissioner said continuous sensitization on COVID-19 restriction measures has enabled the locals living in border sub-counties to easily identify and report new people in the locality. He said some of the South Sudanese who sneaked into the country illegally have been taken to quarantine centres while others have been handed back to authorities in South Sudan.
“Most of the locals have become vigilant that is why we were able to deal with new arrivals before they mix with community members,” said Data.
Adjumani district chairman James Leku said it was impossible to totally get rid of illegal entrants into the district because of the porous border points. He said most of the new arrivals who interacted with him testified that they have decided to flee their country of origin to seek for better social services in Uganda.
“My office will help the community to continue intercepting people who enter into the district through the porous border points” said Leku.
Recently, the Ugandan government announced that it has suspended receiving new asylum-seekers over fears of the spread of COVID-19.
Eng Hilary Onek, the Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees said all transit and reception centres in the country would be closed to new arrivals and those already at the centres would be screened for the virus.
Adjumani district hosts a total of 214,250 South Sudanese refugees in 58 settlement centres according to the May 2020 statistics from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). A total of 37 South Sudanese who were in quarantine in Adjumani’s Nyumanzi reception centre, have tested positive for COVID-19 according to UNHCR COVID-19 Response Bi-Monthly Update report released on June 8.
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