Business has returned to normal at Bibia along the Uganda- South Sudan border a day after the sit down strike by motorists and traders. Over the weekend, motorists and businessmen staged a strike to protest the inhuman treatment and harassment by authorities in South Sudan. The strike left hundreds of traders and travelers stranded along the border without alternative means of travel.
However, the drivers called off their strike on Monday evening following a meeting between Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police and his south Sudanese counterpart and promised to investigate their complaints and take action. Ben Kirika, the UPDF Intelligence Officer at Bibia border says that normal business has resumed. He told URN on phone that transport fares to Juba had also returned to normal because they had shot up over the weekend.
Kirika however says despite the fact that the situation has normalized businessmen, who lost their merchandise in Juba, have promised to resume the strike should government fail to address their concerns. John Bosco Ocan, the LC 3 chairman of Atiak Sub County advises government to construct a market at Bibia for Ugandan traders to avoid clashes with South Sudan authorities.
He says if nothing is done traders from Uganda and other Countries who still move with their goods to Sudan will continue being harassed because the Sudanese authorities think the non citizens have taken over their markets.
