SSFDA Condemns Forced Displacement of South Sudanese Refugees by Ugandan Forces

Press Release

South Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SSFDA)

For Immediate Release

Date: 6 June 2025

Contact: Press Office

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SSFDA Condemns Forced Displacement of South Sudanese Refugees by Ugandan Forces: Calls for Immediate Accountability and Humanitarian Action

The South Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SSFDA) expresses deep alarm and unequivocal condemnation of the recent actions by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), which led to the forced displacement, arrest, and coerced return of South Sudanese refugees from Uganda’s Koboko District into Morobo County, Central Equatoria State.

According to first-hand accounts from Morobo FM and other trusted local sources, UPDF troops entered the villages of Busia, Mugujai, and Keji-Areya following gunfire near the South Sudan–Uganda border. Refugees were reportedly arrested and relocated to a facility in Ikeri before being expelled back into South Sudan.

These individuals, originally displaced by conflict in 2016, had been residing in Uganda in search of protection and stability. Their recent forced return to a conflict-affected region without safeguards, services, or consent constitutes a grave violation of regional and international legal norms, including the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Kampala Convention.

The returned civilians are now sheltering in overcrowded schools and clinics in Nyarigolo village, Panyume Payam. Observers report an acute humanitarian crisis: no food, no clean water, inadequate shelter, and ongoing insecurity as clashes continue between government and SPLM-IO forces nearby. Local residents have also reported harassment and looting by unidentified armed actors.

These conditions are unacceptable. Uganda has a duty to protect civilians under its care—not to repatriate them into danger. The root cause remains the militarization and lawlessness fostered by the regime in Juba, which continues to push South Sudanese citizens to flee, only for them to face renewed hardship across every border.

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Statement from SSFDA Chairman Samuel Mut Gai Dhap:

> “What Uganda is doing is outrageous. First, their forces were complicit in killings inside Upper Nile State. Now, they are violating international law by arresting and deporting South Sudanese refugees back into a war zone. This is not the behavior of a neighbor or a partner in peace—it is the behavior of an aggressor.

The South Sudanese people are not disposable. We fled war and political persecution, and we deserve protection—not betrayal. SSFDA will not remain silent while foreign forces trample on our people's dignity. We are calling for immediate regional accountability and for Uganda to answer publicly for these unlawful actions.”

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SSFDA Calls for the Following Immediate Actions:

1. An independent investigation into UPDF operations and violations against refugees, led by the African Union and IGAD.

2. Emergency humanitarian deployment to assist displaced populations now suffering in Morobo County.

3. Legal accountability and remedy for victims of forced displacement, including access to UNHCR protection.

4. Diplomatic engagement by regional actors to prevent future military incursions into refugee communities.

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The South Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance stands with the displaced, the voiceless, and those abandoned by a government that has turned its back on its people. We will continue to expose abuses, advocate for the rights of all South Sudanese, and work toward a just, humane, and lawful future.

For contacts, interviews (via secure channels)

Contact our Pressoffice at pressoffice@ssfda.org

End of Statement