The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Adjumani, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is a reported conflict brewing up between South Sudanese refugees and host communities in Adjumani district over the scarcity of wood fuel.
According to Francis Abi Kirile, the chairperson Refugee welfare committee in Boroli settlement camp, they have had disagreements and disputes over fire wood. He said host communities are claiming that continued tree cutting for fire wood by the refugees is impacting on the environment.
Kirile fears if not addressed, this could escalate to deadly conflicts among them and host communities. Raymond Ojaku the LCI chairperson Ayiri central village in Okusijonu Sub County says the continued tree cutting for fire wood by the refugees has devastated the environment. He says, some of the refugees use the trees to construct temporary housing structures.
Adjumani refugee desk officer Titus Jogo says, Adjumani district currently has over 200, 000 refugees in the district who all use fire wood to cook which he says is causing grave impact on environment.
Currently the temperature in Adjumani district ranges between 38 degrees to 40 degrees. Jogo says, they are now giving at least 10 fruit tree seedlings to each refugee to plant and grow such the situation is improved.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees head of Pakele sub office Orkhan Nasibov says, they are planning to engage implementing partners to begin supplying tree seedlings to refugee.
According to reports from the district Forrest office Arua, seedlings have already been procured to be supplied to the refugee and host communities as the rains intensify.
Some environmentalists have warned of near future prolonged drought and subsequent food insecurity in the region if the increasing trend of indiscriminate tree cutting continues in the refugee host communities.
Currently Arua district Forrest office and the district council has embarked on impounding of unlicensed charcoal trade in an effort to allow the environment regain.
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The continued tree cutting in the region of adjumani district by refugees has already created awareness to the concerned authorities and good enough is that the environmentalists have given measures to the resolution of the situation whilst to the refugees these wood fuel is an essential part of a living.Furthermore in each and every community of the world there is dissatisfactions and I don’t blame any. So the host communities should at least abide with the concerned authorities to overcome related challenges to cease tensions and live accordance with their visitors(refugees) in harmony.