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The New Vision, 23rd November 2002- Letter To The Editor
Maj Bantariza should not drag Rwanda into Uganda�s internal affairs!
SIR� On Tuesday, The Monitor, (page 6) quoted the UPDF spokesman, Major Shaban Bantariza, as saying that Col Samson Mande and Lt-Col Anthony Kyakabale are training a rebel group and that they are re-organising remnants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) into a new force to attack Uganda.
Bantariza also alleged that Col Mande and Lt-Col Kyakabale use impoverished Congolese from north Kivu as mercenaries.
Bantariza made these allegations on November 16 while addressing the journalism students on the �UPDF success against the LRA and ADF rebels.�
The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) wish to state that these allegations are baseless, misleading, hostile and self-defeating.
These fabrications are yet evidence of a persistent smear campaign by elements in the leadership of Uganda that are obsessed with undermining the credibility of the Government of Rwanda.
The Government of Rwanda has never denied the presence of the two officers on Rwandan territory.
Indeed the officers have been a subject of discussion between the two countries. The resultant understanding to relocate the officers to other countries is underway.
The UNHCR is currently finalising the relocation process. The pertinent question therefore is: How can the officers being prepared for relocation at the same time be able to organise ADF and LRA?
There is another thing that the Uganda authorities wish to achieve by lying � mystifying the reality and diverting the people of Uganda from the real issues. Rwanda is not the problem. The problem that Uganda has is the ADF and LRA rebels. This is what Bantariza should focus on.
Journalism is not about lies. Bantariza should stop making these unqualified and baseless allegations to justify his government�s failure to wipe out ADF and LRA rebels.
Rwanda is clean, although Bantariza contradicts his commander-in-chief, President Museveni. In the same paper (page 4), President Museveni was quoted as saying that �Rwanda can�t suppor
t Mande.
Rwanda cannot help our enemies militarily or otherwise.�
The Government of Rwanda calls on Uganda to adhere to the principles agreed between the two countries.
There are mechanisms in place through which such allegations can be investigated and verified.
Maj. Jill Rutaremara
Spokesman
Rwanda Defence Forces
Published on: Saturday, 23rd November, 2002 | 
