The Governor of Yei River State, David Lokong Moses, has claimed the exodus of local residents to neighboring Uganda is a deliberate policy fomented by rebels in the state.

Yei State that remained largely peaceful throughout the two years of civil war that preceded South Sudan's August 2015 peace deal, is now experiencing rampant insecurity, forcing citizens in Kaji-keji, Kaya and Yei town to flee to Uganda’s refugee camps.

In a Tuesday statement in Juba, Governor Konga said: “We don’t have any cause of alarm despite the fact that the wild propaganda being passed by those who are anti-peace made a large number of people to cross to neighboring countries and camps across Uganda.”

 However, he said many families are returning back to the state because the security situation returned to normal. He urged the people of Yei to come back from refugee camps in neighboring countries and join Kiir’s dialogue initiative.

The state official pointed out that his government is currently working on a grassroots dialogue initiative with armed opposition groups through religious leaders in the state.

Photo: Yei governor, David Lokonga Moses. (Radio Tamazuj)