AMURU. More than 200 residents of Atiak Sub-county, Amuru District, are reported to have fled their homes and registered as South Sudan refugees in order to access free services. According to the authorities, it is alleged that majority of the disguised refugees have dual citizenship.
In an interview with Daily Monitor on Tuesday, Amuru District chairperson, Mr Michael Lakony, said they have received reports that residents in Bibia Parish have joined refugee settlement camps in the district in a bid to access free services offered.
“We are working on modalities of getting them out, but it is a bit tricky. Some have both Uganda and South Sudan national identity cards which make the process complex,” Mr Lakony said. He said they have contacted the local leaders to help identify residents who have taken advantage of the situation in the area.
He added: “Once we get their full identities, we shall work with the Office of the Prime Minister to evict them from the camps.”
The Atiak Sub-county councillor, Mr Wilfred Odiya, said reports show that locals are masquerading as refugees although the numbers are not alarming.
The refugee desk officer, Mr Totus Jogo, dismmised the allegations saying they were not aware of the scenario.
He, however, said there are a few individuals of the Aringa tribe who were masquerading as South Sudan refugees but they were arrested.
Number of refugees
Currently, there are 180,000 refugees in the district following unrest in the youngest nation of South Sudan that started in 2013.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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