Leave Bunia, Congo Rebels Tell Museveni
TALKS: Lubanga briefs journalists
By Emmy Allio
A CONGOLESE rebel leader has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the remaining UPDf troops in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Thomas Lubanga, the leader of the Congolese rebel group, Union for Patriotic Congolese (UPC) said the UPDF soldiers should leave as soon as possible.
“It is the opinion of the population that the UPDF quits Bunia as soon as possible. In fact, the only solution to the Congo conflict is that all foreign forces should quit,” Lubanga told journalists yesterday at Speke hotel in Kampala.
On the request of the United Nations, Uganda has retained about 1,000 soldiers in the Ituri province to maintain peace between the Hema and Lendu.
The press conference followed a two-hour meeting with President Yoweri Museveni at State House, Nakasero.
Lubanga was in Dar-es-Salaam on Monday in a meeting where Museveni and President Joseph Kabila of the DRC agreed on measures to maintain peace in the UPC-controlled Ituri Province.
A communique issued by the two presidents said they agreed to amend the Luanda Accord to create a new framework for the Ituri Pacification Commission (IPC).
“I have some disagreements with the Dar es Salaam meeting because there is actually no more ethnic war going on in Bunia,” said Lubanga, dressed in a black suit, light-blue necktie and blue shirt.
He accused a senior UPDF officer, Col. Peter Kerim, of fomenting trouble on DRC-Uganda border by recruiting Ugandan and Congolese youths to fight the UPC army on the Nebbi district border.
He said there was “no single” Ugandan rebel in the UPC-controlled territory.
At least 1,000 huts were burnt down and over 10,000 people displaced last week in Nebbi and parts of DRC when the Alur and Kebu ethnic groups attacked the ethnic Lendu communities.
“I have repeatedly told Ugandan authorities that Col. Kerim is fomenting trouble in Ituri province by recruiting the Lendu to fight the Hema. Action must be taken to restrain him,” he said.
Lubanga, whose army pushed the RCD-Liberation Movement of Mbusa Nyamwisi out of Ituri, said he wanted Kinshasa government soldiers to leave Beni in North Kivu province. He said Kinshasa had four battalions in Beni.
“Kinshasa troops should pull out of Beni because they have committed atrocities and destroyed property in Nyankunde and Mogwallo areas in Ituri province,” he said.
Ends
Published on: Wednesday, 12th February, 2003
