John Bosco Kyaligonza, the Refugee Desk Officer for Lamwo District revealed that they are currently transporting the refugees to other refugee settlements in Arua and Adjumani where there are still available spaces.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)
has started the relocation of new South Sudan Refugees arriving at Palabek
Refugee Settlement in Lamwo District to the West Nile region.
The move follows concerns about
limited space at the refugee settlement amidst the continued influx of refugees
fleeing civil unrest and hunger from the neighboring South Sudan.
According to officials, between
80-100 refugees cross into Lamwo District on a daily basis from South Sudan, a
move that is exerting pressure on the environment and social services
provision.
John Bosco Kyaligonza, the Refugee
Desk Officer for Lamwo District revealed that they are currently transporting the
refugees to other refugee settlements in Arua and Adjumani where there are still
available spaces.
Kyaligonza has however called on
the OPM and humanitarian aid agency United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) to intervene and make an assessment of where they can continue settling
the growing refugee population.
//Cue in: “I call upon…
Cue:…Arua and Adjumani.”//
Titus Jogo, the Refugee Desk
Officer for Adjumani District told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that more
than 1,000 new arrivals have so far been relocated since early May when the exercise
kicked off.
Jogo says the excess refugees are
being settled at Palorinya Refugee settlement in Obongi District adding that
the area still has space to host some more 20,000 new refugees.
District leaders in Lamwo have
however expressed willingness to donate more land to accommodate more South Sudan
refugees arriving in the country.
The Palabek Ogili Sub-County Chairperson
Christopher Omal notes that Palabek Ogili Sub-county still has more land to
host about 100,000 refugees.
He however says whereas the
locals are willing to offer their land, the responsible authorities should take
the right procedures in acquiring it to avoid future tension.
//Cue in: “Palabek still has…
Cue out:…in their land.”//
The Lamwo LCV Chairperson
Sisto Oyet revealed that they identified two locations he didn’t disclose for
the proposed establishment of a new refugee settlement have already been
surveyed by OPM.
Oyet says they are yet to wait
for the green light from OPM if they will agree to their proposal.
//Cue in: “We are ready…
Cue out:…they are comfortable.”//
The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees Hillary Onek during the celebration to mark World
Refugee Day in Lamwo District on Tuesday noted that the growing number of
refugees in the country is exerting immense pressure on the environment.
He noted that with the continued
dwindling fund for refugee management in the country, the government is
considering taking a bold step to review its open-door policy for refugees.
Palabek refugee settlement was
opened in 2017 and was meant to host some 60,000 refugees but currently
accommodates 79,000 according to the latest statistics from the OPM.
