The Uganda Members of Parliament (MPs) welcomed the commencement of the withdrawal of their Uganda’s People’s Defense Force (UPDF) troops from South Sudan which started on Monday 12th October 2015.
According to Kevina Taaka, woman Mp from Busia, the withdrawal will end the opposition’s campaign for the return of the troops after the government spent billions of money to maintain the troops in a foreign country that could have been spent on social services back home.
Uganda's Defense Chief, Gen Katumba Wamala, when speaking to the press said that all UPDF soldiers should be out of the country by 1 November 2015.
Commenting on the same issue, the Ugandan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem said UPDF starts withdrawing after establishing that all necessary conditions for the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians are in place and that they have managed to stop genocide, maintained regional security and protected the thriving trade with South Sudan.
Expressing the views about the withdrawal plans of UPDF, a cross section of people interviewed in the country said UPDF presence in the South Sudan played a great role in stabilizing the country and its deployment helped to avert genocide.
However, he said that the Ugandan Government would still remain committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution to the conflict in South Sudan.
The Minister called on all South Sudanese parties to abide conscientiously by the agreement and implement faithfully its provisions, open a new chapter in the history of their nation and live up to the expectations of their long-suffering people.
Meanwhile, South Sudan NGO Forum which brings together over 300 civic and aid groups on Thursday revealed that violence against civilians is still continuing in the young nation despite the peace deal the warring parties signed in August.
The Forum noted that "from April to September, at least 1,000 civilians were killed and 1,300 women and girls were abducted in three counties of Unity State and that the situation was worsening as clashes spread to other areas.
Some international organizations reported that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating amid persistent fighting with aid groups having trouble getting to hard-hit communities".
After the South Sudanese rivals signed Peace Agreement, they repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Source: CRN
