JUBA, FEBRUARY 7TH 2023 (THEJUBAMIRROR NEWS ) – South Sudan on Tuesday accused neighboring Uganda and Kenya of illegally taking forty-two (42) points of its borderline, according to a latest report of the country’s border commission.
On Monday, tensions flared up along the Kenya-South Sudan border at Nadapal.
The fighting between Toposa and Turkana started on Sunday when Turkana tribesmen attacked parts of Narus Payam and raided an unspecified number of cattle.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after opening a one-day Tukul talk in Juba, Deputy Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deng Dau Deng, said the two neighboring countries are claiming more of its territory.
“We are very much aware that there are about 42 points that are points of dispute within our territory and according to our reports of Border Commission and all these government is very much aware,” Deng said.
Deng said the National Border Commission has been working closely with Kenyan authorities to address the issues of borderline.
“We have a national border commission that has been working with the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Uganda.”
He noted the government is aware of areas that have been entered into by neighboring countries, adding they are engaging with them at the level of the African Union.
“South Sudan has quite a number of areas that have been entered into by our neighboring countries and we have been discussing them in the context of the African Union,” he said.
He assured the citizens that the government will never allow any inch of its borderline to be taken by its neighboring countries.
“We have to again reiterate our commitment that there is no piece of land that will be taken from South Sudan.”
The Deputy Minister called for calm among South Sudanese over the Nadapal border issue.
“Our appeal to the youth is that the issues of the borders are the national and sovereignty issues that the government of the Republic of South Sudan is the one to address any particular inch of the land,” he said.
He said the government is working hard to address the issue.
“I want to assure that the national government, the ministry of defense, and the national security committee are very aware of the issue of the border not only within Uganda and Kenya but also with Sudan and other places.”