How Safe is Our Western Frontier?
The Monitor (Kampala)
EDITORIAL
February 26, 2003
Posted to the web February 26, 2003
Kampala
Something strange is happening on our western frontier with the DR Congo and yet our Government is not telling us about it.
Between 8 July last year and 10 February this year, armed men have freely crossed the border, using the Semliki river as a crossing point, from the DR Congo into Rwebisengo, Bundibugyo district, rustled cattle and driven them back to the other side. They have also killed some of the peaceful members of the cattle keeping Batuku community living in Rwebisengo.
Then recently, it was reported that armed men, in military uniform, stormed the quiet fishing village of Kaiso in Hoima district, beat up the locals and abducted 24 people.
Clearly, you begin to see a pattern - a pattern in which somebody is stocking up on supplies in preparation for more than just a little mischief. You see this pattern because there is no historical evidence to show that the communities across the common border were that hostile to one another.
It cannot be that they have suddenly discovered the benefits - criminal at that - of cross-border stock theft or fish grabbing.
The general suspicion is that these gunmen could be Congolese militias who have been persuaded to join the shadowy People's Redemption Army rebels in an alleged rebellion against Uganda.
But there are no hard and fast facts on who or what they really are. The army units in the area are unwilling to commit themselves. The men in charge cannot say if we have a case of rebels on our hands and they have also reportedly done nothing each time the raiders visited Rwebisengo.
It cannot go on like this. Government should do the right thing by making it very clear to the people that the security situation is not what we would all like it to be.
Now is not the time for the Government to play hide-and-seek with us, especially considering the ethnic clashes sweeping across eastern Congo that have left hundreds dead and displaced thousands.
The opening of a new war front there could very easily compound the already difficult refugee problem in the northwest of the country.
