LAMWO -The number of South Sudanese seeking refuge in Lamwo District has reduced following ongoing peace talks between president Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar.
According to the Camp Commandant for Lamwo refugee settlement, Mr David Wangwe, at the moment they are receiving between 80 and100 refugees weekly unlike in the past when they would get thousands daily.
“The numbers have reduced and this might be attributed to the ongoing peace talks among the two political heads in the country for the everlasting peace,” he said on Thursday.
At the moment, there are 35,500 South Sudan Refugees in Lamwo district all settled in the three settlement centres of Palabek- Gem, Palabek- Kal and Palabek Ogiri.
The South Sudan Refugees enter Uganda through Ngomoromo, Aweno Olwiyo and Waligo border points all in Lamwo district.
South Sudan’s president signed a peace agreement with rebels on Wednesday including a ceasefire to start in 72 hours. The agreement made in the Sudanese capital Khartoum aims to end a war in which tens of thousands of people have been killed. Previous peace deals have broken down.
It comes after two days of talks between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, a former vice president. The country’s civil war began in 2013, less than two years after it gained independence from Sudan.
The war has uprooted a quarter of South Sudan’s population of 12 million, ruined the country’s agriculture and battered its economy.
“This agreement signed today and the ceasefire will end the war in South Sudan and opens a (new) page,” Machar told reporters after the signing ceremony, hailing what he said would be a building of trust with South Sudan’s northern neighbour.
The agreement signed with other opposition leaders provides for the new unity government to rule for three years, followed by a general election, Ahmed said.
Kiir said he would “commit respectfully” to the deal.
A total of Shs 1.5 million South Sudan Refugee are already settled in Uganda according to statistics from Humanitarian aid agency United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR].
