The Guardian published my story on refugee policy in Uganda last week, just as grim news emerged of UN forces’ alleged failure to prevent violence in neighbouring South Sudan. More and more civilians are fleeing: 85,000 have entered Uganda since early July.
There’s a sense of solidarity here: communities agree in many cases to give up land to host newcomers. But the scale of need is hard to grasp. Aid agencies are desperately trying to accommodate overflows in reception centres; meanwhile, the 200,000 or so refugees who arrived before last summer are having their food rations halved, according to the UNHCR.
It may be one of the best places to be a refugeee, but it’s not exactly going to be a breeze.
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