Has the UNHCR failed to pay money to Ugandan Government or what?
By Kiden Stela Mandela
The flag of South Sudan (C) started flying at the UN after the United Nations General Assembly voted on South Sudan’s Membership to the United Nations at the UN headquarters in New York, July 14, 2014. South Sudan became the 193rd Member of the United Nations Thursday when the U.N. General Assembly approved the country’s membership by Acclamation, whereby the South Sudan’s new flag was raised for the first time outside United Nations Headquarters in a brief celebration symbolizing the country’s U.N. Membership that was acclaimed just over an hour eerily by the General Assembly.
These processes were witnessed by the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar who appeared before the applauding General Assembly to express what he described as the profound gratitude of the people and the government of South Sudan. And it is to resolve all the outstanding matters between South Sudan and Sudan from which it separated and to be out of the many years of Wars. The Sudan’s representative at the United Nations, Daffa- Ali Osman, Rwandan representative to the United Nations, Eugene-Richard Gasana, the United States Representative Susan Rice and the U.N. Secretary- General Ban Ki Moon witnessed South Sudan’s Membership to the UN. All was to end the 21 Years of war and to separate from Sudan.
The 2013-2016 Political reckless rivals, civil wars that forced South Sudanese to the neighboring countries and diaspora and up to now still South Sudanese continue to suffer both internationally, in diaspora also in some parts of South Sudan just like the case in Leer County of Unity State, Maban of Upper Nile State that people are losing lives day and night including humanitarian workers are the ones bringing the reckless talks of the Ugandan government that says South Sudan government should mobilize resources for its people in the camps. The question is, has the Ugandan Government forgotten that South Sudan is a Member of the U.N.? and why can’t the government of Uganda try UNHCR since it is the one responsible for the refugees in the camps, whether being land, food and all the refugees’ needs are being paid for, or, is there binding legal framework for the government of Uganda to directly demand for South Sudan government to directly support its people who took refuge in Uganda?
The government of Uganda should know that despite the fact that South Sudanese are taking refuge in their Ends still receives more suffering from the host communities, women are being rapped, people killed, even renting land for cultivations’ and many others. Otherwise Ugandan government should ask UNHCR or the commissions for refugee.
UN should take their responsibility fully while South Sudan refugee still waiting for the government and opposition to settle their matters in bringing total peace to the country, time will come for everything whether Agree or disagree one-day South Sudan will have its peace and lives the conditions of staying in the camp.
I urge the principals to the 2018 Peace Agreement to Speed up the graduation of the unified command into one Army and continue with the peace process before the end of the Transitional Period comes to an end.
God Bless South Sudan.