By Taban Tom Henry
An activist in Eastern Equatoria State welcomes the decision made by the parliament for the deployment of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces along border points.
This came after a Member of Parliament representing Magwi County in the State Legislative Assembly presented an urgent and most important matter on the recent encroachment of the UPDF in parts of Pajok Payam.
In a statement to Radio Emmanuel, Charles Cyprian Okullu a civil society activist states that resolving such matters of concern needs a high-level kind of negotiation between the two countries.
He mentions that cross-border issue is the prerogative of the national government to take a shift decision to bring the situation to normalcy.
“We welcome the decision made by the parliament, again if you look deeper, you will ask a question. You know there are certain situation when if you want to provide solution, you need to provide it earlier a bit but now it has become the time when they have already entered inside if you are now to intervene it requires a high-level kind of negotiation. So, it is always said under the international law the issue of the cross border is under the mandate of the national government but again we cannot wait for the national government for the two presidencies that is Kampala and Juba to talk.”
Okullu however calls on the government not to create conflict along the border that would end up in the displacement of people.
He further mentioned that the ongoing border encroachment has created fear among communities that doubt whether they will participate in the upcoming elections expected this year.
“There is an element of do no harm, you need to do it very well without again creating conflict in the border without creating unconducive environment that will end up in displacement of people, we need it to be comprehensive and dialogue must be done so that the UPDF need to go slowly to their side of Uganda and leave the side of South Sudan. So, these are the issues we see need to be handle quickly people in the farms are already complaining they have been displaced and there is already fear in the community as a result it has already created a result of fear that how is that they are going to involve in these upcoming elections if it is going to be their anyway.”
The speaker made the statement to Radio Emmanuel in an interview