The Monitor (Kampala)

The increased cross border movements have increased the spread of HIV/Aids in the district, the chairperson Moyo Town Council, Ms Mary Mania, has said.

Moyo town is 6km from the South Sudan border. "The Sudanese have a lot of money. They come to town on weekends and end up sleeping with women. Worst of all, they do not want to use condoms for protection," Ms Mania told Daily Monitor on Tuesday in an interview.

She noted, "The women are vulnerable because they are impoverished." Ms Mania did not take into account that the region has suffered an insurgency whereby rebels made women and girls sex slaves increasing the risk of catching HIV/Aids.

Ms Mania was in Gulu to attend the meeting of the Greater North Alliance for Municipal mayors and leaders (Amicaal) to draw strategies on how to fight HIV/Aids in their town councils.

Ms Mania said for long, the town councils have been left out yet they host many people and they are the most affected.

The Amicaal Coordinator in Gulu, Mr Christopher Acire, said they are concerned that HIV is still on the increase on the continent and urged leaders to mobilise the public to fight the pandemic.

The alliance was formed in 2006 after a meeting of municipal leaders in Dakar, Senegal and is funded by the World Bank.

Mr Acire said urban-rural migrations is high because people especially the youth who move to towns in search for employment expect to live better lives.

"It looks like people have become immune to the messages of HIV/Aids," Mr Achire said. "Although sensitisation on HIV/Aids has been increased, there is no change in behaviour at all. We are still advocating for prevention. " Mr Achire said urban poverty is more severe because it is not common for a person to go to bed without food in the village like the case is in urban areas where people live reclusive lives.

He also advised the leaders in the greater north to address the issue of cross generation sex. "Young people are in love with people far much older than them, people who are not their agemates," he said.