Refugees at Palabek settlement camp raise alarm over rights violations

The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Department of Legal and Investigations has raised alarm over increasing cases of human rights violations in Palabek Refugee Settlement Camp in Lamwo district.

According to the Commission, refugees are facing serious challenges including limited access to food, education, healthcare, and land for farming. These challenges have intensified following global political instabilities that led to a reduction in food rations by humanitarian agencies.

Many refugees, mainly from South Sudan, walk long distances to schools and health centres, with learners often studying on empty stomachs. The shortage of farmland has forced some refugees to cross back into South Sudan in search of food, exposing them to insecurity.

One of the refugees, Nyoboc Grace, a mother of five, said the situation has become unbearable since the food rations were cut. “We now get very little food that cannot sustain our families. Sometimes my children sleep hungry, and we have no land to cultivate food,” she said.

Another refugee, Chapchap Gatluok, a youth from Zone 9, said access to education and healthcare remains difficult.

“Schools are as far as 14km to Ogili Hill and 12km to Paluda SS, and we often go without food. Some children have dropped out because they cannot study on an empty stomach,” he added.

Responding to the concerns, Noel Frank Oyungrwoth, the Complaints and Investigations Officer at UHRC Gulu Regional Office, described the situation as a serious human rights violation.

He said the Commission will engage the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Government of Uganda to find lasting solutions.

“Our mandate is to ensure that the rights and dignity of all people, including refugees, are respected. We shall write to UNHCR and relevant government bodies to address these pressing issues,” he said.

Speaking during the complaint and investing clinic organized by UHRC with Refugee in Zone 9 and Zone 3, Mugabe Wilson, the deputy settlement commandant Palabek from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in Lamwo district, acknowledged the challenges but assured that government and partners are working to improve service delivery in the settlement.

“We are aware of the food shortage and long distances to schools and health centres.

“OPM, together with UNHCR and World Food Programme, is reviewing ways to support the most affected families and strengthen community-based programs,” Mugabe explained.

Palabek Refugee Settlement, established in 2017, is located in Lamwo district in Northern Uganda. It hosts more than 66,000 refugees, the majority of whom fled conflict in South Sudan.

The settlement covers several zones, including Palabek Ogili, Palabek Gem, and Palabek Kal, and is managed by the Office of the Prime Minister in collaboration with UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies.

Over the years, the settlement has faced persistent challenges such as limited resources, land scarcity, inadequate social services, and declining humanitarian support.

The recent global funding cuts have worsened living conditions, threatening the well-being and dignity of refugees in the district.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission has urged both the government and international partners to urgently intervene to restore hope and uphold the fundamental rights of refugees living in Palabek Settlement.