{UAH} UGANDA ARMY ACCUSED OF DESTABLIZING DRC

Uganda army accused of destabilizing DR Congo

 July 20, 2016 Editorial Team  0 Comment

 

 

ADF’s Jamil Mukulu who is under detention in Kampala accused of terrorism and mass killings. Of late, the ADF activities have allegedly increased in the DRC.

By Ismail I Kaggwa

Reports reaching The London Evening Post (The LEP) indicate that Uganda Peoples Defense forces (UPDF) has been once again accused of involvement in the destabilization of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to reports from Beni in the northern part of the country, militias attached to the Ugandan rebel group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) now in the DRC, have regrouped and increased their military capacity and operations including recruitment and mobilization which has led to continuous killings of residents in a brutal manner and attacks on UN positions.

The un-coordinated verbal exchange started when Okapi Radio, an UN official Radio based in the DRC, hosted the chairperson of the civil society of Beni, Teddy Katalikoho. Katalikoho linked the ongoing killings and unrest in Beni to ADF, whose operations have intensified in Beni territory alleging that the ADF was being backed by the UPDF. Her lead is based on the killing of two armed militias a fortnight ago at Katongo village along the Uganda-DRC boarder. It has been alleged that he two were killed by Congolese army dressed up in military fatigues similar to those of the UPDF. She further called on the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the DRC government to take her claim seriously and investigate the involvement of the UPDF in DRC.

However, in a statement The LEP is privy to, UPDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Ankunda distanced the Ugandan army from any involvement in Beni, and also called for special investigations into the statements made by Katalikoho. “We demand a joint investigation with the ICGLR. We feel that it is high time for the Congolese Government to clarify this 4th incursion which the civil society has always been denouncing,” part of the statement read. Ankunda acknowledged that the uniforms that are being mentioned in Katalikoho’s claims were de-gazetted and the arms that were with the bodies are registered and were owned by the Ugandan armed forces but were stolen by unknown assailants that security forces were looking for. He said if an enquiry is carried out and a report is produced, it will help come out with a good picture of what is exactly happening.

There has been intense insecurity most especially in the areas of Mwalika in Bishu, Beni –Mbau and Watailingwa settlement. The report castigating the UPDF involvement in the ongoing unrest in the DRC with its longtime foe the ADF, comes at a time when the Ugandan government is holding ADF leader Jamil Mukulu who was arrested in Tanzania and was repatriated to the country last year. Mukulu is in detention and is yet to be tried for his alleged crimes of terrorism, including mass killings, among many counts yet to be adorned on him.

 

 

EM

On the 49^th Parallel          

                 Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy"
                    Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika machafuko"