200 Congolese refugees enter Uganda

Mar 27, 2012

About 200 Congolese nationals have fled their country into Uganda following new clashes between government forces and rebels.

By Patson Baraire
 
About 200 Congolese nationals have fled their country into Uganda following new clashes between government forces and suspected rebels of the Rwanda Interahamwe who have been living in the vast Congolese forests.
 
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner Kanungu Juuko Kasiita confirmed this while speaking to the media after 90 refugees registered with security authorities at Kihiihi Police Station in Kanungu district March27th.
 
Kasiita who was involved in the registration of the refugees said most of them (refugees) are women and children below 5 years and the authorities would relocate them to the Refugee Transit Center in Kihiihi Sub County where they can be supported.
 
One of the refugees who identified himself as a local leader back in Congo said that they started fleeing from Buganza area in the villages of Nyarutembe and Nyabirehe after the clashes between the suspected rebels and government forces.
 
"We woke up to sounds of gunshots on Sunday morning and we could see dead bodies of some soldiers who had been killed so we fled for our lives," Munyakaragwe Gaumba, 55 said.
 
It is reported that the fighting between government troops and the rebels started after an ambush of an officer at the rank of Captain in Congolese army who was killed together with a religious priest. They were reportedly riding a motor bike in Buganza area.
 
“When the government soldiers arrived in the area after the death of their colleague we feared for our lives and took off," Another refugee identified as Rumanyika said.
 
The refugees all wearing tattered clothes looked hungry and some of them claimed that they had relatives in Uganda and should be allowed to stay with them.
 
However the RDC said that for easy surveillance, all of them will be relocated to the refuge reception center at Matanda which is internationally recognized.
 

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