TENSION is developing at the Uganda/Tanzania border due to the presence of armed Rwandese refugees roaming the borderline along the Kagera Salient, which officials blame on insecurity in the sub-region.
The Tanzanian government has established military patrols along the border, while Uganda has banned all Rwandese refugees from transiting through Bugango, in Bukanga, Mbarara district. The refugees have been directed to use Kikagati and Mutukula immigration points, located about 40km and 90km away, security officials in Bukoba said. “There have been reports of the continuous flow of guns into the refugee camps,” Mbarara Resident District Commissioner Joseph Arwata said. “We are trying to work on a communication to the higher offices of government so as to liaise with the Prime Minister’s office and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to see how the allegations can be verified,” Arwata said. “We continue to encourage them (refugees) to follow the official border entries without contravening international laws,” he added. South Western Regional Police Commander Edward Ochom said the restrictions on the border point were because of lack of immigration systems at Bugango border point. Security agents recently intercepted a group of refugees and recovered two guns wrapped in a sisal sack near Nakivale camp. The group was suspected to be Interahamwe militiamen or soldiers belonging to former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana. President Yoweri Museveni last month sent a team headed by the Director General of Internal Security Organisation, Brig. Henry Tumukunde, to help security personnel on the ground verify intelligence that some of the refugees carry arms and were a threat to Uganda. Sources said the president had directed security personnel to impose strict controls on refugees entering Uganda. Kashumba LC2 Secretary for Defence and the area Local Defence Commander, Yusufu Fao Isingoma, said due to strict regulations at Bugango, the refugees have attempted to cross through panya routes (unofficial paths) to evade the inquisitive security. There has been a wave of robberies, cattle thefts and general crime in border areas, which is linked to former Rwandese soldiers conniving with officials from Uganda and Tanzania, intelligence sources from the two countries said. Well-placed intelligence sources also blame LCs for facilitating the entry of the ex-Rwandese men through unofficial routes spread over the borderline, because they pay bribes. Published on: Sunday, 12th January, 2003
