Ugandan Traders Threatened to Attack South Sudanese Nationals over Merchandise

Ugandan business operators who fled South Sudan during an attack on a local market and lost merchandise worth millions of shillings have threatened to attack South Sudanese nationals in settling of scores for their lost goods.

They also say they will burn down vehicles bearing South Sudanese number plates over failure of the authorities in the conflict riddled country to compensate them for the loss they incurred and may start to demand for payments from South Sudanese living in Uganda.

The traders lost their goods in a fire started by South Sudanese People’s Army (SPLA) army recruits following a violent clash between the recruits and their instructors over training conditions in the State of Eastern Equatoria on February22 and 23, 2015.

Violence spread from the main army training facility to Owiny Ki Bul market in Magwi County where dozens of Ugandans were selling electronics, clothes and food items.

In a letter dated August 20, 2015 and addressed to Henry Okello Oryem, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister and copied to Acholi Parliamentary Group and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) in Acholi sub region, the traders are demanding for 2.676 million South Sudanese pounds (around Shs1.893 billion).

Attempts to get a comment from the Minister Okello Oryem were futile as his known telephone numbers were not available.

The traders have given South Sudan government 14 days or else they will resort to violence.

Mr Joe Ojok, one of the 13 traders who lost goods worth 43, 855 South Sudanese pounds (about Shs30.698 million) says they have lost hope in getting compensation from the South Sudanese government.

Ojok adds that the involvement of the Ugandan officials in attempts to get them paid has not yielded fruits either.

He says, “The challenge is that we cannot now recover from the loss and meet family  obligations such as school fees for our children.”

On the fateful day, Ojok, lost dozens of new sets of mobile phones, radios sets, DVD players, shoes, mattresses and unspecified number of clothes in the fire and thieves who looted his goods as he and other traders fled for their lives.

But Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa Region Police Spokesperson asked the traders to register their complaints with the International Police other than resorting to violence.

Okema warned those who resort to violence in order to solve their grievances will be arrested and charged accordingly.

In May this year, Mr James Nabinson Kidega, the Amuru former Resident District Commissioner (RDC) visited Magwi County and met with the officials in attempts to help the traders get their payments but it was unfruitful.

In a recent interview, Mr Kaps Hassan Fungaroo, the Member of Parliament for Obongi County in Moyo district faulted South Sudan nationals over the mistreatment of Ugandans describing them as ungrateful people.

MP Fungaroo says the ill treatment and killings of dozens of Ugandan traders who are living inside the new African nation is a clear sign that South Sudanese are not friendly people.

He castigated the security forces saying they have forgotten the goodwill Ugandans showed them during the 20 year old civil war in their country which left millions of people dead and another million forced into displacement.

Ugandan citizens have been facing numerous violent attacks and indiscriminate killings which are mostly blamed on South Sudan security operatives.

In April 2013, Gen Pieny Deng Koul, the South Sudan National Police Service Chief who visited Gulu town, admitted that there is laxity in security in South Sudan saying the country has just emerged from a war situation and arms are still in the hands of very many wrong people.

Koul said his government is doing its best to remove arms from the hands of its citizens and also provide security for foreigners living and doing business in South Sudan.