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Saleh Meets Bamuze
By Grace Matsiko
THE Reserve Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh (Caleb Akandwanaho), yesterday met Uganda National Rescue Front II (UNRF II) rebels in Arua to diffuse the tension in the West Nile region, following reports that the rebel group planned to attack the area.
Saleh, who is also Army Representative to Parliament, met UNRF II leader Maj. Gen. Ali Bamuze at a secret venue in Nvara, about 2km from Arua town, rebel spokesman, Romano Alifa said yesterday.
The meeting, which began at around 11.00am was attended by President Yoweri Museveni�s military assistant, Brig. Kale Kaihura, gender, labour and social development minister Zoe Bakoko-Bakoru and elders from West Nile.
The relative calm in the region took a new turn this week with extra deployment of UPDF troops following intelligence reports that UNRF II had linked up with the renegade UPDF officers, Colonels Samson Mande and Anthony Kyakabale to attack Yumbe, Arua and Pakwach towns.
Security sources said Mande and Kyakabale, in self-imposed exile in Rwanda, were recruiting in Arua, Nebbi and Yumbe districts for their People�s Redemption Army (PRA), and taking the recruits to north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
But UNRF II�s Alifa denied the reports saying, �We would rather join the Government, the devil we know than PRA, the angel we don�t know.�
He said, �From the bottom of my heart, the fight between Kyakabale and Museveni is a brother fight (both come from Western region). It has nothing to do with West Nilers. They are not part of our agenda, � he added.
Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza said there was no tension in the region but admitted that the UPDF had deployed extra forces, �because of the UNRF II and PRA connection�.
�We have intelligence information that PRA has been trying to contact Ugandan rebels the world over,� he said.
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Published on: Saturday, 7th December, 2002 |
