Taban Amin closes rebel base in Congo
Oct 26, 2004
Amnesty Commissioner Ganyana Miiro said this on Monday upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, of the last batch of 120 former West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) rebels and their dependants, under the Government’s amnesty programme.
By Richard Komakech
TABAN Amin has closed his former rebel headquarters in Kinshasa.
Amnesty Commissioner Ganyana Miiro said this on Monday upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, of the last batch of 120 former West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) rebels and their dependants, under the Government’s amnesty programme.
The group was commanded by Taban Amin, who returned in November 2003. He is a son of the late president Idi Amin.
Taban Amin and Miiro negotiated the group’s return from their bases in the DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa and Kananga, 1,000km from the capital and travelled back with them.
About 600 former WNBF rebels have already returned and resettled, the majority of them in West Nile.
The United Nations Peace Mission in Congo (MONUC) transported the group of 120 at about 5:00pm on Monday.
Irish ambassador Martin O’Fainan and officials of the Amnesty Commission received the former rebels at the airport.
Miiro said they were taken to Bombo, where they would undergo a three-week reintegration exercise, before being resettled in their home areas.
“This is a great moment for the commission and the former rebels will be happy to settle in their homeland,†Miiro said.
The Irish embassy is facilitating the resettlement sensitisation and amnesty packages worth US$160,000 (sh272m).
MONUC has provided medical relief and clothing to the returnees.
TABAN Amin has closed his former rebel headquarters in Kinshasa.
Amnesty Commissioner Ganyana Miiro said this on Monday upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, of the last batch of 120 former West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) rebels and their dependants, under the Government’s amnesty programme.
The group was commanded by Taban Amin, who returned in November 2003. He is a son of the late president Idi Amin.
Taban Amin and Miiro negotiated the group’s return from their bases in the DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa and Kananga, 1,000km from the capital and travelled back with them.
About 600 former WNBF rebels have already returned and resettled, the majority of them in West Nile.
The United Nations Peace Mission in Congo (MONUC) transported the group of 120 at about 5:00pm on Monday.
Irish ambassador Martin O’Fainan and officials of the Amnesty Commission received the former rebels at the airport.
Miiro said they were taken to Bombo, where they would undergo a three-week reintegration exercise, before being resettled in their home areas.
“This is a great moment for the commission and the former rebels will be happy to settle in their homeland,†Miiro said.
The Irish embassy is facilitating the resettlement sensitisation and amnesty packages worth US$160,000 (sh272m).
MONUC has provided medical relief and clothing to the returnees.