Three men who were arrested by the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) in Bamurye Boma in Kajo-keji County in Central Equatoria State were released over the weekend after days of detention, a local chief said.
Members of the Kajo-Keji parliamentary caucus, led by Milla Amos Peter, last week accused Ugandan soldiers of killing a woman, looting cattle, and abducting three men, after the youth from Kajo-Keji torched makeshift structures erected by Ugandans who allegedly encroached on South Sudanese territory.
However, speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday from Kajokeji, Ngonyi Anthony, the executive chief of Bamurye, said the body of the woman and the three men were handed over by the UPDF on Saturday during a swap of captives by both sides.
“It (body) was handed over to us and we buried her. The three men are also with us now,” he said. “13 Ugandans who were taken captive by our youth were also handed over to the Ugandan authorities.”
The executive chief said despite the release of captives by both sides, the issue of the disputed land remains unresolved but that a delegation sent by the Central Equatoria State government arrived to cool the tension.
“The youths from our side (Kajo-Keji) have not withdrawn from the area but they were told not to move with their bows and arrows,” he said. “As a community leader, we are waiting to see if the government is going to resolve the issue or not.”
Meanwhile, Central Equatoria State Cabinet Minister Wayi Godwill who is also the chairperson of the committee that was dispatched to resolve the border incident, confirmed a team comprising himself, the state security advisor, SSPDF Divisio Commander, and the state director of counterintelligence are in Kajo-keji to calm the situation.
“We are in Kajo-keji to respond to the incident that happened between our people and the Ugandans,” Wayi said. “Upon arriving, we had a meeting with the commissioner and his security team and after that, we visited the area where the youth had gathered to deliver the governor’s message urging them to be calm.”
The minister said it is now the role of the state government and the local government officials from Yumbe, Moyo, and Maracha districts in Uganda to resolve the dispute.
“The incident occurred in South Sudan at the SPLA’s OTB operation center,” Wayi explained.
“What happened was that some people from Maracha in Uganda were brought in a vehicle to this place (Bamurye) by someone known as Wajaras.”
He confirmed that captives from both sides have been released and handed to authorities in the respective countries and have since been reunited with their families.
According to Minister Wayi, both Ugandan and South Sudanese authorities have agreed to maintain calm along the border pending further meetings.
He disclosed that over 200 households have been displaced from Bamurye and are currently in need of humanitarian support.