Replace UPDF in Ituri â€" Rwanda
Mar 28, 2003
The Rwanda government has asked for a neutral force to be deployed in Congo’s Ituri region to replace the Uganda People’s Defence Forces,
The Rwanda government has asked for a neutral force to be deployed in Congo’s Ituri region to replace the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, writes Emmy Allio.
A statement faxed from the foreign ministry in Kigali said the Ituri Pacification Commission (IPC), set up under the Luanda Agreement last September, is a violation of the Lusaka Agreement and that it sought to enable Kinshasa re-assert its authority in Ituri, an area controlled by rebel movements
Rwanda said Uganda should not be permitted to define terms of IPC because Kampala is the chief “architect of all Ituri conflicts.â€
Rwanda said Uganda has teamed up with the Kinshasa government to deploy its forces in Kanyabayonga, Butembo, Beni, Lubero and Bunyantenga.
The statement said from their new positions, Kinshasa and UPDF plan to capture Rutshuru, Goma and Masisi.
It added that while in North Kivu, Ugandan and Kinshasa forces were linking up with former Rwandan soldiers and the Interahamwe and this was a violation of the Lusaka accord and the Harare and Kampala Disengagement plans.
UPDF sources yesterday said it had no UPDF soldiers in North Kivu and had not deployed alongside the Kinshasa army.
A statement faxed from the foreign ministry in Kigali said the Ituri Pacification Commission (IPC), set up under the Luanda Agreement last September, is a violation of the Lusaka Agreement and that it sought to enable Kinshasa re-assert its authority in Ituri, an area controlled by rebel movements
Rwanda said Uganda should not be permitted to define terms of IPC because Kampala is the chief “architect of all Ituri conflicts.â€
Rwanda said Uganda has teamed up with the Kinshasa government to deploy its forces in Kanyabayonga, Butembo, Beni, Lubero and Bunyantenga.
The statement said from their new positions, Kinshasa and UPDF plan to capture Rutshuru, Goma and Masisi.
It added that while in North Kivu, Ugandan and Kinshasa forces were linking up with former Rwandan soldiers and the Interahamwe and this was a violation of the Lusaka accord and the Harare and Kampala Disengagement plans.
UPDF sources yesterday said it had no UPDF soldiers in North Kivu and had not deployed alongside the Kinshasa army.