DR Congo / Uganda : A building crisis.

The Sudan Tribune reports at All Africa

Uganda: Govt Alarmed by Influx of Congolese Refugees

                                                                 Congolese Refugees

Kampala — The Ugandan government on Thursday expressed alarm at the influx of Congolese refugees in its territory, saying it had increased vulnerability of border communities and disrupted basic services in the country.


It is hard to see how Uganda can cope with this with out significant assistance from the West. Uganda is doing a phenomenal job but this situation is now unsustainable.


"The government of Uganda is alarmed by the extraordinary influx of refugees fleeing to Uganda following the attack launched by the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) on the border town of Kamango in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the morning of 12 July 2013", the country's foreign affairs minister, Sam Kutesa, said in a statement on Wednesday.


In the never ending insanity that is the status Que for the Eastern DR Congo the ADF are Ugandan Rebels backed by Sudan, although I admit I haven't got a clue if that is the situation since the secession of South Sudan. It would seem to be unlikely 


In the aftermath of the ADF attacks on Kamango, in the eastern Congo, the Ugandan Red Cross put the number of Congolese refugees that had fled into Uganda's western district of Bundibugyo at 66,000. This number has since risen.

Fresh fighting has also broken out in DRC's volatile North Kivu region which has led to more Congolese refugees fleeing to the Kisoro district, in western Uganda.

"So far, 67,000 refugees have fled into Bundigugyo. A new emergency situation is unfolding in the western district of Kisoro where to date over 1,800 refugees have sought sanctuary and more [are] expected to arrive due to renewed fighting between the Congolese Armed Forces (FAEDC) and M23 in North Kivu", the statement from the Ugandan government said.


We can thank Rwanda for this human rights crisis and its ongoing imperial ambitions with regard to the Eastern DR Congo. I what must be one of the more ironic news stories British MP Andrew Mitchell is in Rwanda discussing aid.

"British Member of Parliament Andrew Mitchell has advised African countries to address conflicts and ensure proper accountability as benchmarks for donor aid."

That addressing conflicts advise will be a total waste of time. It would be good to see the Commonwealth apply a bit of pressure on Rwanda.

Uganda says that conflict in eastern Congo is escalating the security situation across the Great Lakes region.

"The Ugandan government expresses deep concern over the attack by ADF on civilians and MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo], which is further escalating the insecurity and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC. This poses a serious threat to peace, security, stability and development in the entire Great Lakes region", the statement said.

Uganda said it views the fighting in eastern Congo and the influx of Congolese refugees in its territory as a matter of urgency and called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the international community to double peace and security efforts in the Great Lakes region.


Wouldn't it be good if these reports weren't routinely ignored by the western media. Uganda needs our help now. This problem could quickly escalate into a major humanitarian crisis.


Before the influx of Congolese refugees, Uganda already had 210,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, according to UNCHR, with more than 60% from the DRC and the rest from neighbouring countries such as South Sudan.

DR Congo: The AU Force announced

New Vision reports

Ten countries for DRC peacekeeping - Kiyonga

By John Nzinjah

A total of 10 countries in the Great Lakes region have resolved to form a joint force of 4,000 troops to contain the insurgency in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Defence Minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga has confirmed.

"The countries to contribute to the force include Angola, Namibia, Congo Brazzaville, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Burundi and the DRC itself," Kiyonga said.

That is a hell of an unwieldy force make up. Tanzania is going to have fun commanding the force. Interesting Rwanda and Uganda are committing troops. What has happened to Zimbabwe ? They are usually up for pillaging opportunities.
He said this while officiating at the passing out of 350 youths at the end of a two-week military and patriotism course at Kisinga Vocational Secondary School in Kisinga sub-county Kasese district on Monday.

Will blog about that separately.
He said the force would operate under the command of Tanzania. 

The current insurgency in the eastern DRC broke out in April this year when the M23 rebels mutinied and deserted from the country's army causing over 500,000 people to flee from their homes in the ensuing unrest.

Addressing himself to the youthful cadres, the minister warned them against supporting elements that may want to change government by the use of force.

How ironic.
He advised them to be supportive of ideas which are pro Pan-Africanism and regional integration for faster economic and social development of the African people.

He urged them to use the skills and knowledge they had acquired during the military and patriotism course to ensure that corruption is routed out the country.

Kiyonga said that among the ten reasons the NRA/M waged a bush war was to fight corruption that existed in the former governments. 

Africa. " God's" Gunmen A few less please.

Al Jazeera reports

African Union hunts Uganda rebel group

AU force to co-ordinate soldiers from regional armies hunting Lord's Resistance Army, but troops still lack resources.

                 The forces lead by self-styled mystique leader Joseph Kony are believed to be dwindling [AP]

An African Union (AU) backed force has officially assumed command of operations against Uganda's notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), officials said.

Major Alex Ahabyona, an intelligence officer for LRA leader Joseph Kony operation, said the ceremony to launch the move took place on Tuesday in the South Sudanese town of Nzara.

Good this guy need to face justice for his many crimes. The world needs a few less of these 
" Gunmen of God " along with a few less movie and cartoon creators. 

But officials say a scarcity of resources and unresolved disagreements over troop deployments still pose major impediments.

The AU force aims to co-ordinate soldiers already hunting LRA from Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic.

Remember this is the same AU that thinks it can sort out the mess in the eastern DR Congo

Led by Kony, a self-styled mystique leader, the LRA has been waging a brutal campaign of abductions, rapes and defilement in a lightly governed remote patch of jungle straddling the borders of the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan since it was ejected from Northern Uganda in 2005.

The LRA's notoriety was cast in a global spotlight earlier this year after a controversial video highlighting its brutality became an instant internet sensation and was viewed by tens of millions of people.

Lets not forget what this Man Kony is accused of. Since 1987, Kony is believed to have recruited between 60,000 and 100,000 child soldiers and displaced around 2 million people 


At a command handover ceremony in Yambio, AU's special envoy on the LRA, Francisco Madeira, said the DRC had still not contributed troops but some commitments had been made and said the force required assistance to help it function properly.
"We need more support, I don't have to elaborate on these because my predecessor has done this so well. We need support in terms of means of transport, communication, medicine, combat rations and uniforms for the troops tracking the LRA. This is particularly important and critical and most urgent for the central African troops who handed over their contingent despite the challenges facing them," Madeira said.

I suspect the DR Congo is already over stretched trying to deal with the Rwandan backed insurgency in the eastern DR Congo.

In hiding
Although all the regional armies have been involved in fighting the LRA, it is the Ugandan army that has pursued him up to the Central African Republic, where he is currently believed to be hiding.
At the same ceremony, Uganda's defence minister, Chrispus Kiyonga, said there were still disagreements over areas of operation by troops from different countries.
"We are yet to fully agree on how this troops will operate because now they are going to be one force, a regional task force with its commander," Kiyonga said.

Seriously these guys criticise the UN for being disorganised.

"There are two concepts: There are people who think that the SPLA [Sudan People Liberation Army] should only work on the side of Sudan, that the army of the Central African Republic should only work there [within its own borders] ... but there is the other concept that some of us support, [which is] that once there is one unified force, co-ordinated force then it should go wherever Kony is. We think that way, it will be more effective."

It would be far more effective but will it happen ?

Kiyonga said the latest intelligence indicated LRA was now down to 200 guns and that the entire group was numbering about 500 people including women and children in rebel captivity.
Barack Obama, the US president, injected momentum in anti-LRA efforts last October when he sent 100 Special Forces to help provide intelligence and training support to the regional armies.

Kony can run but he can not hide.