Porter probes Congo rebels at Namboole
Nov 07, 2002
BAREFOOT little boys and girls are happily chasing one another in total bliss. Their kitengi-clad mothers with tired looks barely disguised by heavy make-up on bleached faces, are standing in a slow moving queue for the morning porridge
By Alfred Wasike
BAREFOOT little boys and girls are happily chasing one another in total bliss. Their multi-coloured kitengi-clad mothers with tired looks barely disguised by heavy make-up on bleached faces, are standing in a slow moving queue for the morning porridge. Many look pregnant.
The scene looks like a funeral procession or a fashion show. but they are members of the families of 63 ex-combatants from several Congolese rebel groups.
The 21 women are their wives. The 18 children are their off-spring. Nine of the deserters are women.
The families have been holed up in Namboole Sports Hotel, part of the Nelson Mandela Stadium complex, for about two months awaiting repatriation.
The denim, t-shirt, leather and gold-chain-clad fathers with crest-fallen expressions, are sitting in small groups talking in whispers. Many are smoking cigarettes. Some are looking away into the sky in deep thought. Some are listening to music from compact disc players through large headphones .
Many of them are clean-shaven and spotting gold rings or diamond studs in their ears.
The deputy director of the Pan Afrikan Centre, now managing the hotel, Munga Lemba, a Congolese, said, “They are tired and want to go home.â€
Justice David Porter and his team, Justice Joseph Berko and John Rwambuya, Allan Shonubi and Vincent Wagona are at Namboole to verify claims by a UN panel that Saleh and Saracen, a private security firm, were training some rebels into paramilitary squads to destabilise the DRC and maintain its exploitation.
Four of the families’ representatives, Maj. Mawa Andomba (RCD Goma), Capt. Patrick Kibuluku (RCD Goma), Capt. Mulamba Ngongo (MLC Bemba) and Adjutant Thomas Vioka (RCD KIS) yesterday appeared before the Porter probe and appealed for assistance to return home.
They hailed the National Reserve Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh, for aiding their repatriation and defended the conduct of the UPDF in the DRC.
“We ran to Gen. Saleh for help. He spoke to our President. We are more than 500 of us in Kampala waiting to return home. That report (UN) is not telling the truth. We are not undergoing any training at all. We don’t know who Saracen is. I was Bemba’s chief intelligence officer and I can assure you that the UPDF is a very disciplined army. Please help us go home,†Capt. Ngongo told the probe team.
BAREFOOT little boys and girls are happily chasing one another in total bliss. Their multi-coloured kitengi-clad mothers with tired looks barely disguised by heavy make-up on bleached faces, are standing in a slow moving queue for the morning porridge. Many look pregnant.
The scene looks like a funeral procession or a fashion show. but they are members of the families of 63 ex-combatants from several Congolese rebel groups.
The 21 women are their wives. The 18 children are their off-spring. Nine of the deserters are women.
The families have been holed up in Namboole Sports Hotel, part of the Nelson Mandela Stadium complex, for about two months awaiting repatriation.
The denim, t-shirt, leather and gold-chain-clad fathers with crest-fallen expressions, are sitting in small groups talking in whispers. Many are smoking cigarettes. Some are looking away into the sky in deep thought. Some are listening to music from compact disc players through large headphones .
Many of them are clean-shaven and spotting gold rings or diamond studs in their ears.
The deputy director of the Pan Afrikan Centre, now managing the hotel, Munga Lemba, a Congolese, said, “They are tired and want to go home.â€
Justice David Porter and his team, Justice Joseph Berko and John Rwambuya, Allan Shonubi and Vincent Wagona are at Namboole to verify claims by a UN panel that Saleh and Saracen, a private security firm, were training some rebels into paramilitary squads to destabilise the DRC and maintain its exploitation.
Four of the families’ representatives, Maj. Mawa Andomba (RCD Goma), Capt. Patrick Kibuluku (RCD Goma), Capt. Mulamba Ngongo (MLC Bemba) and Adjutant Thomas Vioka (RCD KIS) yesterday appeared before the Porter probe and appealed for assistance to return home.
They hailed the National Reserve Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh, for aiding their repatriation and defended the conduct of the UPDF in the DRC.
“We ran to Gen. Saleh for help. He spoke to our President. We are more than 500 of us in Kampala waiting to return home. That report (UN) is not telling the truth. We are not undergoing any training at all. We don’t know who Saracen is. I was Bemba’s chief intelligence officer and I can assure you that the UPDF is a very disciplined army. Please help us go home,†Capt. Ngongo told the probe team.