UPDF Deploys In Bunia

UPDF soldiers have been re-deployed in the troubled northeastern Congolese town of Bunia to contain growing ethnic clashes which have claimed the lives of about 100 people in the past two weeks, reports Emmy Allio. Sources in Bunia yesterday told The New Vision that UPDF soldiers had been moved from Bunia airport and deployed alongside RCD-Kisangani rebels in key positions in and around Bunia town. Sources said at least 20 people were killed on Monday in clashes between the Hema/Gegere and Lendu/Ngiti in Miala, Solenyama, Inga-barriere, Katoto and Geti. President Yoweri Museveni over the weekend said Bunia was so close to Uganda that the Government would not allow the situation there to deteriorate. Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza, yesterday confirmed the UPDF deployment in Bunia and said it was a result of the failure by RCD-Kisangani and MONUC, the United Nations Observer Mission in Congo, to contain insecurity in Bunia. Bantariza said the acting army commander, Major General James Kazini, on November 29, wrote to Capt. Nave Johan, the senior military liaison officer of MONUC in Kampala expressing grave concern over the insecurity in Bunia. He said Kazini’s communication, copied to President Museveni and the Defence minister Amama Mbabazi, said areas in Congo formerly occupied by UPDF are now insecure. He said Kazini gave examples of the November 16 murder of 16 people in clashes in Bali and Limbi and the November 10 clashes in Bachanga in which nine people died. “With all these facts above, the enemies of Uganda can take advantage of the lawlessness to reverse the gains of the UPDF in Congo in bringing security to that part of Congo,” Bantariza quoted Kazini as telling MONUC. Ends