Nimule border blocked, thousands stranded

Heavily armed Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) officers have been deployed at Nimule Bridge preventing civilians from crossing to the Ugandan side after the outbreak of violence in Juba last week, eyewitnesses said.

Especially children are suffering amid overcrowding and food shortages while many fear that tensions will escalate as more people arrive.

James Deng, a South Sudanese, said he and his family members were stopped at the border when he tried to cross to Uganda, adding that all his belongings were confiscated. He called for humanitarian assistance as tensions are running high amid fears of renewed violence in Nimule.

“Troops have been deployed to block civilians fleeing the violence,” said Suzan Kun Akec, staff at South Sudan Ministry of Interior.

Deng Mawien Deng, an Immigration Officer, said his office has not yet received orders from higher authorities in Juba to let thousands of people waiting to cross to Uganda pass.

Most of the people in Nimule escaped a string of violent clashes in Juba and skirmishes in Torit, Eastern Equatoria region, on Sunday and Monday, Mawien said.

It remains unclear how many people died in the violence but early estimates suggest more than 300, including scores of civilians.

Moses Kasirye from Uganda, said he and other Ugandans had been stuck for five days, even though they had valid documents. “We are denied access to our country,” he said.

Josephine Babirye said tensions were mounting. “We are sacred they will kill us here, because we are seeing heavy arms placed everywhere at the border point of Nimule.”

The U.N. Refugee Agency confirmed the closure of the border and called for safe passage for people fleeing the violence in Juba.

Leo Dobbs, a UNHCR spokesman, said yesterday in Geneva that the Uganda-South Sudan crossing has been affected, explaining, “security has been tightened on the South Sudan side”.