South Sudan lawmaker decries continued UPDF cross-border attacks

JUBA – A member of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) from Eastern Equatoria State on Monday condemned ongoing cross-border attacks and territorial encroachments by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF).

Tobiolo Alberio Oromo, a parliamentarian representing Ikotos County, claimed during a plenary session in Juba that Ugandan soldiers attacked Mosingo village in Isherta Boma, Ikotos Central Payam, on November 17 and raided two cattle kraals.

“Rt. Speaker, my information is on 17 [November] the Uganda People Defense Forces came and attack Mosingo village in Isherta Boma, Ikotos Central Payam and raided about two kraals,” Oromo said.

He added that local youth from Torit, known as the Monyomiji, confronted the UPDF and managed to recover most of the stolen cattle, though the Ugandan soldiers retained 14 cows, which remain in their custody.

Oromo further alleged that when the Ikotos County Commissioner approached Ugandan authorities for the return of the cattle, he was told the animals would be sold to fund medical treatment for wounded UPDF soldiers.

“Rt speaker it is now becoming too much. If UPDF are misusing their powers to encroach into our territory with heavy weapons to intimidate our people, our civilians in our farming areas, then this is very serious,” Oromo said.

The lawmaker called for urgent border demarcation to prevent further encroachments and warned that local communities might take matters into their own hands.

“From Muropai to Longara’jore, that is Mosingo, Uganda were creating roads in the name of giving South Sudan 5 kilometers bonus and now they are intensifying the patrol in those areas – that these are their territory,” he alleged.

Oromo requested the assembly to summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs to engage with Uganda’s ambassador over the matter and demand an immediate halt to the UPDF’s activities.

“Rt speaker I want to bring this to the attention of the committee concerned to immediately summon the minister concerned, who is the minister of foreign affairs, to inform the ambassador of Uganda to stop UPDF not to patrol that area anymore,” he said.

The TNLA’s First Deputy Speaker, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, urged the lawmaker to submit his concerns in writing and table them before the assembly as a formal motion.

“Regarding the border encroachment, this has become a persistent matter. I can recall that we had summoned the minister of foreign affairs several times over this matter, and we are not getting to the depth of the issue,” Oyet said.