RDC: Monusco strongly condemns the Mayi Mayi milita attack in Butembo (19.12.2016)

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RDC: M7 Media – “Du Lundi 19 Desembre 2016 au jeudi 5 Janvier 2017” (16.12.2016)

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Statement from the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) on National Dialogue and the launch of the Technical Commitee of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (19.12.2016)

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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Zeid calls for rights to be upheld as president’s mandate nears end (19.12.2016)

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A planned shutdown of social media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Sunday evening ahead of the end of President Joseph Kabila’s mandate, coupled with a continuing ban on demonstrations by civil society and the opposition, is deeply alarming.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 19, 2016 – A planned shutdown of social media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Sunday evening ahead of the end of President Joseph Kabila’s mandate, coupled with a continuing ban on demonstrations by civil society and the opposition, is deeply alarming, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Saturday.

“We are especially concerned as Monday also marks three months since 54 people died in Kinshasa, when defence and security forces used excessive force against people calling for constitutional deadlines to be respected and for President Kabila to step down at the end of his second and final mandate. No one has to date been held accountable for this violent repression of demonstrations,” Zeid said.

Since the beginning of December, the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC has documented at least 45 arrests of people trying to exercise their right to peaceful assembly. Of these, at least 16 people were detained in Bunia, Kinshasa and Goma in the context of the “Bye Bye Kabila” campaign organized by the Filimbi and Lucha  youth movements.  A further 26 people were reportedly arrested for their political links or because they belong to citizen movements.

“Intimidating and targeting opponents and civil society is not the answer. Silencing their views and stopping them from protesting is not the solution, and in fact is more likely to push them to resort to violence,” said Zeid.

“We call on the Government, and especially its security forces, to take all necessary measures to guarantee the rights to freedom of association and of peaceful assembly.  We call on them to exercise restraint in line with their obligations under international human rights law related to the use of force during demonstrations. All responsible, at any level, for human rights violations must also be held accountable,” Zeid stressed.

“I am also concerned that DRC Government has asked internet providers and phone operators to block social media networks from Sunday evening. Such disruption is generally disproportionate and risks heightening tensions and fears, as it follows recent increased restrictions on independent media and on political debate,” he added. “I urge the authorities to reverse this order and to guarantee the right to freedom of expression and to access information, in line with the Congolese constitution.”

Under an agreement reached with some members of the opposition, elections are not expected before April 2018, with Mr. Kabila planning to stay on in office beyond 19 December.

Talks mediated by the Catholic Church have been taking place in Kinshasa to try to find a negotiated way forward beyond this date and to avoid violence. Respect for the Constitution and human rights principles and standards must be a cornerstone of any agreement achieved at these talks, the High Commissioner said.

“Let me stress how important the implementation of confidence-building measures is to reassure the Congolese population. I call on the Government to release all political prisoners, guarantee the independence of state institutions, including the judiciary, and open up the political space. At the same time, the opposition and civil society must strictly adhere to the peaceful exercise of their rights and freedoms,” the High Commissioner said.

“I urge all the Congolese to continue their efforts to achieve an agreement on the upcoming transitional period that respects the constitution and the human rights of all,” Zeid added.

 

Opinion: Kabila will not go silently!

Patrice Lumumba

President Patrice Lumumba addressed the Congolese Youth in August 1960:

“Today I am addressing the youth, the young men and women of the Republic of the Congo. In speaking to them, I am addressing these words to future generations because the future of our beloved country belongs to them. We are fighting our enemies in order to prepare a better and happier life for our youth. If we had been egoists, if we had thought only about ourselves we would not have made the innumerable sacrifices we are making. I am aware that our country can completely liberate herself from the chains of colonialism politically, economically and spiritually only at the price of a relentless and sometimes dangerous struggle. Together with the youth of the country, we have waged this struggle against foreign rule, against mercantile exploitation, against injustice and pressure” (Patrice Lumumba: Fighter for Africa’s Freedom, Moscow, Progress Publishers, 1961, pp 33-36).

Joseph Kabila, the president since 2001 after his father was assassinated will not leave silently from the Executive, from the commander-in-chief of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He will go into a fourth term without any direct amendments of the constitution of the Third Republic. He has been now in powers for over 15 years!

“Although Mr Kabila almost certainly died within minutes or hours of his shooting, his body was flown to Harare, ostensibly for treatment but probably merely to give the government time to reorganise and agree on a successor. Orders were issued in his name and the death was kept secret for 50 hours. As a result, Kinshasa remained calm and factions in the army that might have risen up were disarmed. But if Mr Kabila’s killing was planned—and it may well have arisen just from discontent among the palace guard—it is still not clear what it was meant to achieve” (The Economist, 2001).

Kabila has worked in the FARDC and even we’re in command of the army when the Ugandan and Rwandan armies we’re taking Kisangani in the past. He we’re in command of the Northern Contingent as the Operational Commander. So he has army experience and knows military tactics.

Kabila have worked with allies in United States and in Belgium, as they both have served each other well, even as the mandate of MONUSCO has been strengthen as the FARDC haven’t had the will to get rid of all the different guerrillas that are in the nation. The Republic has over a dozens of guerrillas and militias controlling mines and natural resources as the illegal mining, illegal exports through Uganda and Rwanda is happening in broad daylight. That has happen for two decades and not that Kabila government has tried to stop it. Neither has the industries that need these minerals that sheds the blood and uses the children to create future soldiers.

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Just as Kabila continued the line of his father, he still cleared the shop and made sure he got loyal people to him and not to the deceased father, like a year after he was sworn-in the first time as President in the transition government, he changed the ministers and put in Evariste Boshe, Samba Kaputo, Mulegwa Zihidula and Pierre Lumbi became close allies in personal cabinet in 2002. Some of them are still key figures in the regime to this day.

As of today the pictures surfacing online before the VPN and shutdown that the regime has promised where all of social media like WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook so on. Because Kabila doesn’t want the world to know about the oppressive behaviour of the FARDC and authorities; we know about some because of LUCHA and other political organizations has already in total behind bars over 130 known activists. So the Kabila government doesn’t really want change or political freedoms for their citizens.

Gloria Sengha, youth activist in Kinshasa and member of Lucha was kidnapped yesterday by Congolese security forces in Kinshasa. She is among the latest Congolese youth who have been kidnapped this past week. We still do not have the details of where Congolese lawyer and member of Compte a Rebours, Chris Shematsi is as well since his kidnapping earlier this week” (Kambale Musavuli, 18.12.2016).

Kabila a military man who became second generation president, doesn’t have not had the will to generate freedom, his armies haven’t even made peace in regions like South Kivu or North Kivu, as the militias and own army has created massacres in the villages around mines and valuable resources to export. There been incidents in Beni, Bukavu and Goma where the violence has happen and people have fled the area.

Kabila took power in 2001 after his father, got elected in a positive election in 2006, more contested and more questionable 2011. When Kabila we’re supposed to step-down now it would be miracle for a man who has ruled for 15 years. Since he has power since his father died, though he could have learned from the past, which the innocent dies when power corrupts the President.

We can expect that the army is stationed in the major towns and cities over the next few days to quell the displeased crowds who feels that there is coup d’état silently going-on. Kabila plans to silently take control over the nation again, as he did in 2001, as he needed to postpone elections and stay as commander-in-chief as long as he can. Kabila owns businesses, businesses that have contracts with the state and others that are licensed by government authority.

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So the son of former president Kabila knows the problem of leaving and knows that certainly leaving in peace would be something new, a succession that hasn’t occurred in the giant central African nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Patrice Lumumba we’re assassinated by the Belgium post-colonial forces, Mobutu Sese Seko died in exile in Rabat Morocco, Laurent-Desire Kabila killed by assassination by alleged royal guards. Now Joseph Kabila can decide his fate.

President Kabila from 2001-2016 can make a decision, if he haven’t already; he has been eating of the government plate and also with the surrounding mineral exports and trading agreement as the Third Republic Executive. The family is tangled and involved in all sectors of the economy and if he unleash himself from the throne. If he releases himself he fears and his family fears for the business and their future. This is something they have taken over from the previous ones in power, which are Mobutu and Laurent Kabila. The connected businesses are all there because of the connection with the state.

The State isn’t a big-government, it’s a militarized single-person based government that are only what it is, depending on the one that is the President, the executive at the time, because the government isn’t full with procedure or with institutions, it’s based on the appointments from the President and with the state corporations that can be partly owned by the family of Kabila.

Kabila has been and still is the President, even as hasn’t been any election, as the fourth term is coming to him. Like so many other Presidents coming before him, they haven’t counted the transition period, even as he wasn’t elected; he was handpicked and selected by the kingmakers in 2001. To make sure the army and population got a popular figure. Certainly Kabila got the two terms after the transition. Now he is in the wind and keeping the people in shackles, because he is not caring about legal proposition of his affairs.

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The problem now, the dialogue with the opposition has been dragged out and even the CENCO, the religious forum hasn’t created a space where the general election has taken place, even as the United Kingdom doling out fortunes for the election, but nothing happens. We could all wonder if Edem Kodjo really wanted the regime under Kabila to change or if the whole thing was fraud?

The silence, the little sanctions from the European Union and United States happen in December, as the republic couldn’t feel a fret from the mediocre actions of the international community, as the Rwandan and Ugandan guerrillas are still inside the republic, together with the soft borders that has even had MONUSCO helped the SLPM-IO to Khartoum in Sudan after the rebellion in July 2016. The South Sudanese rebels fled after skirmishes in the Juba. After that the UN peacekeepers helped the rebels as they fled again to safety in Sudan.

So when Kabila now is still in power, will continue to stay in power and hold on to power without any consideration of the Congolese people and their justice. The Kabila clan doesn’t own the country, they we’re supposed to run it on their behalf. Now Joseph Kabila acts like he owns them and they owns him a favour, which isn’t true.

#Telema or #Yelema have been youth and civil activists who work for development and change as of getting a new president in the Republic. They have been stopped by tear-gas, violence and being detained. The reason is that Kabila wants to safe on the throne.

“As announced, the discussions have failed. Now, Congolese people, the ball is in your camp! Now arrived at the end of our efforts” – Felix Tshisekendi.

As Tshisekendi announce this today on Twitter shows the world how Kabila has silenced the opposition, as Moise Katumbi has been under monitoring by the authorities, even detained in Lubumbashi and had to flee for South Africa for health check after Kabila’s security organization throws tear-gas and brutalized supporters as well as Katumbi himself.

It hasn’t been the will of the Kabila to leave power or even try to fix the dialogue between the parties; he has the army and the businesses in his pocket. Kabila are now taking the Congolese citizens as hostage as he doesn’t deliver an election or a succession to himself as he stays in power. The Congolese authorities are now and have been in the hands of Kabila. Certainly Kabila proves that he never wanted to deliver democratic change.

The militarized leadership of the past are still in the midst of the leadership of Kabila, nothing different to ones of the Mobutu dictatorship or of the puppet-regime of Laurent Kabila. The Military, the Police and Special Forces as much as the Royal Guards are still following orders from above high. They are doing it now as they are guarding the cities like Goma, Kinshasa and others.

Kabila even warned of major violence if he had to stepdown, because he will use the military to silence the opposition and the citizens. Therefore the violence will come as a result of Kabila using force to quell the people into his will. The non-acts of the President are elementary of the will of keeping power.

President Kabila will not let go, not letting go silent and seemingly have had no plan of leaving office, as the keys, the guns and ammunition is in his hands. The army and police together with the banning of social media are elements of taking total control and not letting go. Just like President Museveni, President Nkurunziza and President Kagame. Kabila wants to copy them, but without the legal fuzz of Burundi and without Museveni’s bickering and changes of laws over 3 decades. As Kabila doesn’t have a totalitarian control like Kagame in Rwanda.

Kabila now shows his cards without playing, that is way of playing, though the silence, the non-existing plans and the dodging the ordinary parts of the Parliament and amending laws or even the constitution to secure legality of the third official term. But also the non-existing election and campaigning, as the Kabila regime is holding on without taking in consideration of the citizens of the Congolese state.

We should hope he would step down to respect his own people, but the Congolese people aren’t respected, as they haven’t been by the authorities for so long time. Kabila follows the tradition of Mobutu who used the military and the support of United States to control the Republic.

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We know that the Third Republic is in the image of the Kabila and total control is because of him and the appointed men who he trusts. Kabila are now seeking to overstay and to make the citizens hostage. #Telema can address the deficiency and show the truth, but the citizens have to demonstrate and besiege the Parliament, make noise on the radio and also protect the constitution.

Third Republic cannot be at the current, the Democratic Republic of Congo doesn’t owe anything to Kabila and his clan. They have eaten for a long while and let many people starve, therefore the clan fears that the citizens will take that away. The Congolese people deserve a democratic, transparent and fiscal responsible government who cares for the citizens and not only the riches of Kabila and his elite.

Kabila are now 15 years in and not leaving, we can hope civil disobedience and #Telema has power to make a difference, which the civil activists in LUCHA can change, the powers. What is more important is that citizen’s act against Kabila and the Congolese authorities, because the citizen deserves a government who represent them.

Now the Kabila government have shackled the society and taken the people for granted. Prepare that the Rassamblement, the Telema and all the other efforts will end up with more people in prison, more death as the soldiers will kill demonstrators and the army will besiege the cities. Peace.

Reference:

The Economist – ‘Kabila is dead, long live Kabila’ (25.01.2001) link: http://www.economist.com/node/486713

Outtake: UN Weapons transfer to the SPLM-IO (December 2016 Small Arms Survey report)

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Reference: 

Craze, James & Tubiana, Jerome – ‘A State of Disunity: Conflict Dynamics in Unity State, South Sudan, 2013–15’ (December 2016) Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey

Zimbabwe: Secrecy and doubt around the Bond Notes as Barclays Bank in are separating currencies in their branches, as there are lacking trust in the currency!

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We should worry when details and documents proving that Barclays Branches are having forms that are made for both Bond Notes/Coins Deposit. The Barclays are issuing the numbers of the bank and the address of the bank. The other issue is that the Bond Notes are accounted on the value of coins deposit or another currency. Not the value itself on the Bond Notes. The Bond Notes are valued together with another currency, if it is South African Rand and United States of Dollar.

The Worry with seeing the form that Barclays Limited Zimbabwe has created this form where they are valuing the Bond Notes and also separating it. This is happening as the Republic already is lacking enough of the Bond Notes. Some are even questioning if this is the first start of a parallel economy and so you know what that means: “Parallel economy, based on the black money or unaccounted money” (Your Article Library).

So the values might be turned or changed as transactions have become more costly in Zimbabwe as well:

The value of transactions processed on Zimbabwe’s National Payment System (NPS) increased from $1,2 billion to $1,5 billion as the volume of transactions went up by 13 percent in the week the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced bond notes, a report by the central bank has shown” (…) “The RBZ has said it will release a total of $75 million worth of bond notes by the end of this year.” (Zimbabwe Mail, 2016).

With the cash-shortage and the promised delivery together with the volume of transactions in Zimbabwe proves the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wasn’t ready, neither we’re the Hon. Patrick Chinamasa has to keep up his promises and deliver a grand policy to revitalize the economy.

The RBZ has increased the rate of printing with the latest batch of notes worth $7million being delivered at Harare International Airport in the last few days a Ukranean Jet. But the development will worsen the plight of safari operators who have already experienced a 25 % slump in business this year” (ZimEye, 2016).

Since the Tourist doesn’t trust the currency, neither does the locals as the government and finance ministry are keeping the secrecy around the production and cost of the currency doesn’t add to the faith in the Zimbabwean Bond Notes, as the draconian state tries to silence the #NoBondNotes and #Tajamuka are getting real. The batches worth $7million of Bond Notes haven’t done what they we’re supposed to do, as they cannot even create trust between the citizens and the financial institution.

The Comment from the Independent are clear on the Bond Notes: “Government domestic debt — which stood at US$3,7 billion as at October 2016 — is clearly unsustainable. In a normal economy, Treasury Bills (TBs) are a useful short-term instrument for raising funds via open market operations. But in Zimbabwe’s case, TBs have not been deployed prudently. In fact, TBs are a ticking time bomb. Long before bond notes spooked the market, the authorities were churning out TBs which, to all intents and purposes, were effectively a local currency by another name” (The Zimbabwe Independent Editor, 2016).

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So when the Government has this massive debt and delivers a little bunch of currency that isn’t trusted because of secrecy, the reality is also that the Zanu-PF haven’t really tried to be honest about their approach on the Bond Notes. They seem like a giant loan from the Afreximbank who borrow the funds so the Finance Minister Chinamasa could afford to chip the monies on the public. So the public and citizens are in the paying for the added debt for a currency, which isn’t valued by anybody. Even the banks operating in Zimbabwe is making ready for a parallel economy with the Bond Notes. As we can question as the Barclays of Zimbabwe has separated the foreign currency and the new note.

In July 2016 the Afreximbank:

“The RBZ has said the bond notes, which will trade a ratio of 1:1 with the greenback, are backed by a $200million Afreximbank bond facility, from which they derive their name” (New Ziana, 2016).

So now the first batch was $7million worth out of the proposed $200million loans used to put the Bond Notes to the citizens of Zimbabwe, which I have proposed from the get-go is added in the debt into the hands of the citizens as they get indebted with the notes and also with the surging government spending.

There aren’t clear indications that the bond notes will add anything positives, as even the banks are now showing resistance and proving their little faith in the currency. Not only the citizens, but also tourists, visitors of Zimbabwe don’t even trust it.

Like this example:

“The informal traders lament that they are slowly losing faith in the new currency as it has been posing a myriad challenges towards their business, which is solely hinged on imported wares” (…) “The flea market traders import various wares from neighbouring Mozambique, mostly second hand clothes and shoes” (…) “Murayirwa further added that it becomes a challenge since the Mozambican Bureau de Change only cross rates US$ against Meticals” (…) “This is an unnecessary headache. Bond notes are going to kill our business. This business is supporting close to 1,000 breadwinners. Most of the people here were formerly employed by the major industries that closed and they had no choice but to come here to support their families. Yes we understand that government is trying to solve cash challenges in the country, but they are doing so at the expense of thousands of other families whose businesses are in jeopardy now,” said Murayirwa” (Nehenda Radio, 2016)

The Zimbabwean citizens struggle with paying and exchanging monies to importing things to sell at the markets, as proven with this example. The small-scale entrepreneurs who are important at markets to sell needed products at a decent price; they cannot do so if their currency isn’t valued. Therefore the trust of the Bond Notes is lower than when they we’re introduced.

The reasons are the secrecy and the uncertainty of the effects on the market as it was unleashed to the people. Still close to a month after the release there isn’t any proof of any good coming out of the currency, other than surely some unknown Zanu-PF cronies earning fortunes on it! Peace.

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Reference:

Nehenda Radio  – ‘Traders decry loss of business because of bond notes’ (15.12.2016) link: http://nehandaradio.com/2016/12/15/traders-decry-loss-business-bond-notes/#sthash.cEnubUzE.dpuf

New Ziana – ‘Afreximbank to state position on bond notes’ (01.07.2016) link: http://www.herald.co.zw/afreximbank-to-state-position-on-bond-notes/

Your Article Library – ‘What is the Meaning of the Parallel Economy?’ link: http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/economics/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-parallel-economy/2720/

The Zimbabwe Independent Editor – ‘Govt’s budget a non-starter’ (16.12.2016) link: https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2016/12/16/govts-budget-non-starter/

ZimEye – ‘Secret Bond Note Printing Accelerates’ (16.12.2016) link: https://www.zimeye.net/secret-bond-note-printing-accelerates/

Zimbabwe Mail – ‘Value of financial transactions up 23pct following bond notes injection’ (15.12.2016) link: http://thezimbabwemail.com/banking-finance-34021-value-of-financial-transactions-up-23pct-following-bond-notes-injection.html

SPLM/SPLA(IO) on Arrest of Commander Dr. Riek Machar (15.12.2016)

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Number of children recruited into South Sudanese conflict passes 17,000 – UNICEF (16.12.2016)

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So far, 1,932 children have been released by armed forces: 1,755 in 2015 and 177 this year.

JUBA, South Sudan, December 16, 2016 – According to new figures released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), some 1,300 children were recruited by armed forces and armed groups in 2016, bringing the total number of children used in conflict since 2013 to more than 17,000.

“Since the first day of this conflict, children have been the ones most devastatingly affected by the violations,” said Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Now, as the fighting intensifies – and despite repeated pledges by all to end child recruitment – children are once again being targeted,” she added.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and SPLA in Opposition have both signed agreements with the UN in order to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children in the conflict.

So far, 1,932 children have been released by armed forces: 1,755 in 2015 and 177 this year.

Nonetheless, UNICEF reports that violations against children have continued to occur since 2013, including 2,342 who have been killed or maimed, 3,090 who have been abducted, and 1,130 sexually assaulted. There have also been 303 attacks or military use of schools and hospitals.

Since November, the UN has documented at least 50 children who have been abducted and recruited in the Greater Upper Nile region. Additional reports indicate that another 50 have been recruited in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region and that violations against children have occurred in the Greater Equatorias area, but due to the high level of insecurity and restricted access, the UN has been unable to verify such claims.

In addition to the ongoing armed conflict, South Sudan is suffering an economic crisis that has brought inflation to more than 800 per cent, leading to widespread food insecurity and childhood malnutrition at emergency levels throughout most of the country.

UNICEF and its partners have treated 184,000 children with severe cases of malnutrition this year – an increase of 50 per cent from last year and more than 135 per cent higher from 2014.

“UNICEF’s concern is that with the prospect of increased hostilities and atrocities, the suffering that children have endured will have no end,” said Ms. Gharagozloo-Pakkala. “The children of South Sudan must no longer live under constant fear of hunger or conflict. They need sustained peace, care and support.”

South Sudan has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President Riek Machar erupted into full blown conflict in December 2013. The crisis has produced one of the world’s worst displacement situations with immense suffering for civilians.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability have also spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions of South Sudan.

The UN Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, has been operating in the country since 2011. Just hours before it was set to expire, the Security Council this evening voted unanimously to extend the Mission’s mandate for one day and is expected to come back to the matter tomorrow afternoon.

Office of the Prime Minister, UN agencies and humanitarian organisations in Uganda issue appeal to end suffering of South Sudanese refugees (15.12.2016)

Adjumani Refugee Camp

Thousands of people continue to flee South Sudan to Uganda every day, 64% of whom are children under 18, leaving behind them tales of horrific violence.

KAMPALA, Uganda, December 15, 2016 – On the third anniversary of the outbreak of violence in South Sudan in December 2013, the Government of Uganda Office of the Prime Minister, six UN agencies and eleven humanitarian organisations in Uganda are appealing to the world to bring an end to the suffering of the South Sudanese people. With 527,472* South Sudanese refugees having fled to Uganda over the last three years, including more than 338,000* since July alone, it is vital that the international community comes together to support humanitarian organisations in delivering life-saving assistance to those who have been forced to flee their homes, and to take urgent action to find a solution to the conflict.

Thousands of people continue to flee South Sudan to Uganda every day, 64% of whom are children under 18, leaving behind them tales of horrific violence. Refugees report that armed groups operating in the Equatoria region are attacking villages, killing civilians, burning down houses, raping women and girls, and kidnapping young men and boys. People are reportedly being prevented from using major access roads out of South Sudan, forcing many to walk through the bush for days, often without access to food and water. New arrivals report that in the weeks and months ahead, they expect thousands more will follow them to Uganda.

New arrivals are provided with shelter, food, water and an environment where they can live in safety however, the humanitarian response to South Sudanese refugees in Uganda continues to face significant challenges due to chronic and severe underfunding. Currently, just 36% of the US$251 million needed for 2016 has been received. This is creating significant gaps in the response which threatens to compromise the abilities of humanitarian organisations to provide life-saving assistance and basic services.

In August, this year, a new settlement was opened in Bidibidi, Yumbe district to accommodate the thousands of new arrivals. In the space of a matter of months, humanitarian organisations have transformed Bidibidi from empty bushland in to one of the largest refugee-hosting areas in the world.

Uganda continues to show outstanding generosity and hospitality towards South Sudanese refugees, at a time when the country is hosting the highest number of refugees in its history and is receiving two additional refugee influxes from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Uganda has maintained open borders to allow refugees to reach safety and, as part of its settlement approach, provides them with land to build new homes and grow crops. Refugees in Uganda enjoy a range of rights and freedoms that allow them to gain employment, start businesses and make positive economic contributions to their host communities.

Host communities in northern Uganda are to be particularly commended for having donated the land on which settlements hosting South Sudanese refugees are located. In recognition of the solidarity shown by host communities, as a guiding principle, approximately 30% of the humanitarian response directly benefits Ugandans through improvements to local infrastructure.

We are grateful to our donors for their contributions so far but more must be done to end the suffering of the South Sudanese people. We urge the international community, both those already engaged and new partners to the response, to expedite their contributions of funds and expertise to ensure we can meet the needs of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda. With political solutions to the crisis in short supply, further efforts are needed to find long-term solutions that will allow these refugees to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.  It remains vital that those with influence over the political leadership in South Sudan use all available channels to encourage the warring factions to come together in dialogue and bring an end to the bloodshed. For the sake of the South Sudanese people, the world cannot afford to fail.

* Figures are based on biometric registrations in the Government’s Refugee Information Management System, and manual emergency registration, headcounts and wrist-banding for the emergency influx of new arrivals.