South Sudan – SPLM/A-IO: “SPLM/A (IO) leaders in the US Condemn the mockery of Justice in the case of James Gatdet Dak, Call on IGAD and the international community to immediatly intervene” (19.02.2018)

South Sudan: The Opposition Groups – HLRF of ARCSS – “Postion of the Opposition Group” (16.02.2018)

South Sudan: Civil Society Delegates – “Citizen’s Appeal for Peace at the High-Level Revitalization Forum” (15.02.2018)

Sudan – South Sudan: Great Equatoria Conference – “Resolution of the First-Ordinary Equatoria Conference” (09.02.2018)

USA: Congressional Black Caucus letter to President Trump on the elimination of the Diversity Immigration Visa (DV) – (12.02.2018)

Opinion: OPM “Ghosting” Refugees are following a long-history of “ghosts” from the Ministry!

I wish I could make this up, but there are to coincidences that just doesn’t happen, that the Prime Minister of Uganda Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi meets on the 2nd February 2018 and just mere days after the sources are revealing to the Daily Monitor about Ghost Refugees. Because the PM went into agreement of monitoring and scaling the Refugees after UNHCR standards.

As the official note of the meeting said:

Rugunda said the Government is committed to the noble cause of supporting refugees in the country, adding that government has agreed to embrace the UNHCR registration system to enhance its work in the refugee settlement areas. “Government has accepted to use the UNHCR system of registration for refugees to enable proper identification of refugees which will enable us to serve them better. The system will also enable collection of reliable data and records of refugees,” Rugunda said.” (OPM, 2018).

It is just so fitting that it happens just day before these ghosts was revealed on the 5th February:

Our sources said a number of spot-checks were made to test the accuracy of the refugee numbers that have been reported. Daily Monitor understands that one spot-check was conducted in Kampala. When the more than 26,000 refugees, who were purportedly receiving provisions were asked to physically turn up and collect their share, only about 7,000 showed up, suggesting that about 19,000 were “ghosts” whose monies and other resources had been pocketed by some individuals in OPM. The sources also pointed to collusion between OPM officials and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to steal the monies and other resources meant for refugees” (Serunjogi, 2018).

That means the UNHCR and OPM had no problem to fix funding for 19,000 ghosts in their systems. This meaning both the government and the UN Body in Uganda used the Refugee crisis to eat the money. They was initially eating on the people fleeing civil war in South Sudan and Internal Conflict (silent war) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These individuals needs shelter and support until they can return home to their war-torn regions.

This means that the fleeing people are used in schemes to gain fortunes. You have merchants of death, selling weapons to warlords. Then you have boosters of the aid-industry to create crisis to get careers by the misfortune of people. This is what the latter did, made fortunes and crimes against refugees for their own benefit. It’s sick and disgusting.

The OPM and the Ugandan authorities accepted the UNHCR methods days ahead, but their where people on the inside of UNHCR who accepted ghosts. However, the OPM have had similar scandals with cars, civil servants, teachers, schools, “air supply” and students. All of the been ghosting and even phantom projects, which only exists on paper, but not in reality. This is scandals only going back to 2012, 2013 and thereabouts. It isn’t ancient or back to the stone-age. The OPM is known for this and has done it under the PM Mbabazi and now under PM Dr. Rugunda. Different childhood friend, but the same narrative.

Therefore, it’s nothing new that the OPM are ghosting in Uganda, it is just demeaning and disgraceful that they do this to refugees. And on the payment of foreign donors and after pleas of pledges during the Refugee Summit last year. Where Museveni felt they should get funds for local development too, not only benefit the refugees. When that sentiment is clear, showing that ghosts are made to benefit the locals and not only the refugees. The leaders are eating on the misfortune of the fleeing individuals.

That should be sickening. Clearly its not for the OPM and UNHCR. Peace.

Reference:

OPM – ‘UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES VISITS UGANDA’ (02.02.2018) link. http://opm.go.ug/2018/02/02/united-nations-high-commissioner-for-refugees-visits-uganda/

Sserunjogi, Eriasa Mukiibi – ‘OPM hit by refugee corruption scandal’ (05.02.2018) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/OPM-hit-refugee-corruption-scandal-/688334-4291600-13m30m6z/index.html

Local EU Statement on Alleged Fraud and Corruption Cases in Refugee Settlements in Uganda (05.02.2018)

Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda (OPM) Government Statement: On Allegations of Possible Abuse of Refugee Funds (05.02.2018)

Opinion: USA needs to pull-out troops world-wide since they pulling out of UN Global Compact on Migration!

Now the that United States of America, the US Government officially pulled out of the United National Global Compact on Migration. This happens as the Phase 1 of negotiations are going on and the 24 elements was agreed upon in the New York Declaration. Which are elements that are vital for working of security, stability and human rights for the migrants, as stated as this: “improving cooperation in this regard between countries of origin and destination.” (Global Compact on Migration, 13.03.2017).

So now that the International Community at large are going into Phase II: “Phase 2, Stock-taking. After the consultations, there will be an intergovernmental stock-taking conference in Guadalajara, Mexico, in early December, where inputs from the consultations will be presented and discussed, then consolidated as the basis for a draft. The co-facilitators– the Swiss and Mexican governments– will produce a first draft of the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration by February 2018 which will be the basis for the intergovernmental negotiations culminating in the compact (Phase 3). Negotiations should be concluded by the end of July ahead of the September conference” (Global Compact on Migration, 13.03.2017).

This meaning that the elements and pillars of rights for migration and co-operations between states will be set by the paradigm made by the consultations and previous declarations. Clearly, the United States don’t want to participate or even set agenda for positive change. They want to become a pariah state. The United States under President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are planning to become hated worldwide, to a level even President George W. Bush didn’t even achieve. By the way, that is impressive.

Why I dislike the pulling out of the United States in the UN Global Compact, is for the simple reason. They are involved in so many conflicts, they are trading so much arms and weapons worldwide. That the ones that are a warlord, are a supporter of conflicts and is initiating it too. Should take responsibility and actually make sure the refugees and the migrants from crisis are getting a new home. That should make sense for all. The US Army has troops in Somalia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Poland, Ukraine, Niger, Japan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Sudan, Estonia, Norway, South Korea, Israel and Bahrain.

So the US Army and Navy are stationed everywhere and has bases all over the globe. They are even involved and has Guam, who has been in the spotlight in the fist-fight between North Korean President Kim Yung-Un and President Trump. What is also worrying and hard to know is the estimates of trade of arms and weapons to all parts of the world. This also small-arms, fighter-planes and equipment that used to keep both allies and undemocratic regimes in power. Either for internal conflicts or for loyalty to the US. Therefore, the creation of UN Compact is so important to put migration and refugees in center, as they are fleeing conflicts in their homes and nations to get to safety. That is why the world has to make sure they have provisions and plans to shelter these individuals. They deserve better, especially from the United States.

The world cannot trust the Trump Administration, neither their actions. They should stop dropping drone attacks world-wide. They should stop supporting the Saudi Arabia’s attacks in Yemen. Their bombings in Somalia. Their initial warfare in Afganistan, they shouldn’t be involved around the Lake Chad and Nigeria, Cameroon and Sahel Region. They are just creating more refugees and migrants. While they have no honor and no pride, to actually shelter them and make sure there is international laws to cover their hurt. We know that now, Nikki Haley and the US Government has decided so.

The bravery and the proud American state is failing. The next Banana Republic with huge debt and deficit. Cannot take of their own poor and now want to make sure they are not friendly with the international community and taking responsibility for their actions. We know that now, the US is irresponsible and irrational. The Trump Administration can screw themselves in the oval office in Washington. We cannot trust the Americans anymore, they are just thinking about themselves and not about the greater good. United States is a selfish state who don’t take responsibility and that should be sanctioned, like they sanctions others. Peace.

United States Ends Participation in Global Compact on Migration (02.12.2017)