By Alex Digi
As the country joint the rest of the world to celebrate world refugee day, the Governor of Western Equatoria State, Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo has urged the immigrants living within his State to refrain from politics.
The World Refugees is being commemorated on 20th 0f June yearly. The world refugee day has been celebrated this year under the theme, “whoever, wherever, everyone has the right to seek safety”.
Speaking during the occasion, Governor Lt. Gen. Futuyo Karaba said refugees should not interfere to politics of the State.
He said there are some criminals which have been arrested, and are from refugees of Makpandu.
“You came here with criminals about seven people who are from Congo refugees and they came here in the camp beat the staffs and looted their office, when we came and arrest them and take them to town and investigate them, we found that they are from Refugees of Congo, so the leader of refugees does not allow refugees to interfere to the politics,” the Governor said.
Governor Futuyo has advised the refugees to work hard and become self-reliance than depending on the relief’s assistance.
He said that the food being distributed to them were planted by people like them. “So, those NGOs went and buy from them, what I need from you is make sure you plant and produce food like them so that the same organizations can buy from you and take to other people in different place, and for you the partners don’t bring food what I need from you to provide for this people with tools and seeds so that they can produce food for themselves.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for refugees in Western Equatoria State Paulino Zizi Gbugua said that the Makpandu refugees camp was established in 2008 and in 2014. He said the camp accommodates refugees from countries of Republic of Congo, Republic of Central Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He said the refugees have spent about 8 years in Makpandu camp.
Mr. Zizi meanwhiole called on the refugees to produce food for themselves rather than relying on the relief food.
He said that the major challenges facing refugees in the State is scheduled time for food distributions. “The last verification of refugees in Makpandu, Ezo, Andari and Nandi brought the total of 9729 individuals and 3304 household and the major challenge facing us is the food distribution program delayed by WFP which makes food distribution not as scheduled in Makpandu and other centers,” he said.