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Written by Edris Kiggundu
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Wednesday, 11 November 2009 21:13 |
 Tension is building up between Ugandan fishermen in Ntoroko County, Bundibugyo District, and their counterparts in the DR Congo town of Chomya, after district authorities recently arrested 18 Congolese with illegal fishing gear.
Security and civilian sources have told us that in retaliation, the Congolese abducted two Ugandan fishermen from Ntoroko on October 30, 2009 and took them to Chomya where they were reportedly tortured for five days.
Last week, the RDC of Bundibugyo, Samuel Kazinga, mediated at a meeting between the fishermen from both countries and it was resolved that the Congolese fishermen be released unconditionally in exchange for the Ugandan abductees.
This has not calmed the tension between the two fishing communities, who have time and again wrangled over the boundaries of the fishing waters of Lake Albert, which is shared by Uganda and DR Congo.
Sources have told us that many Ugandans now fear to venture into the Albert waters, afraid of possible abduction, and this has greatly affected their livelihood. Military intelligence reports had earlier linked the abductions of the Ugandan fishermen to Congolese armed forces but it has since been confirmed from local leaders in the area that this is not the case.
We have also learnt that the UPDF has been engaging its counterparts in DR Congo, although details of their dialogue are yet to be established. Attempts to talk to Capt. Robert Kamara, Spokesperson of UPDF’s 2nd Division were unsuccessful.
Rebel scare
The tensions at the border come amid fresh reports of a possible incursion into Uganda by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. It is estimated that about 400 ADF rebels are currently training in the DR Congo. Last week, the UPDF deployed more troops along the Uganda-Congo border in Kasese District and restricted civilian movements between the two countries.
However, new information indicates that the Army has stepped up its preparedness and military sources have told us that the 53rd Battalion that had been deployed in Kampala to help quell the September riots has been recalled to beef up security at the western border. Nevertheless, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye, the UPDF spokesman, said that he was not aware of these developments.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 12 November 2009 13:21 |
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