CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Crespo Sebunya, Uganda, April 1999
THEME = CIVIL WAR
Uganda's various rebel groups say they are determined to end
what they call "one-party dictatorship" in Uganda.
At the same time, Uganda's involvement in Congo RDC
is being increasingly called into question from within Uganda
In the first part of this year, the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) has been extremely aggressive. Since February, it has reportedly killed at least 300 Uganda's Peoples' Defence Force (UPDF) personnel according to UPDF records. The ADF has occupied 10 sub- counties in Bundibugyo and has already established divisional headquarters at Rwabishengo sub-county. The ADF has pushed the UPDF into the suburbs of Fort-Portal, and is reportedly targeting Muhoti barracks. Their dream is to reach as far as Kyenjojo, and put Kabarole, Fort-Portal and Bundibugyo under their control.
The ADF, which combines classic guerilla tactics and conventional military strategy, now seems to be the flagship of other rebel groups. If its dreams come true, then rebels of the National Army for Liberation of Uganda (NALU) and the Popular Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (PALIR) will take up the challenge, and spread the war into Mbarara, Ntungamo and Kisoro districts.
The ADF has been injected with new blood. Uganda's Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) says its supreme commander is Lt.Col.Juma Kisuule, who in the 1970s during Idi Amin's reign, was commanding officer of the Masindi Artillery Regiment. He followed infantry and artillery training courses in Israel in the early 1970s and a commando course at Ceclonica in Greece. One of the most spectacular attacks made under his command was in February 1999, when the ADF attacked the 35th battalion in Kasese district, and killed at least 80 UPDF soldiers before making off with substantial weaponry including 12MM and 14MM anti-aircraft guns. This apparently humiliating defeat, infuriated the UPDF top brass who have already detained the commanding officer, Major James Ndyanabo. The total strength of the ADF is at least 10,000.
While the ADF was attacking in western Uganda, thus prompting the UPDF to dispatch 4,000 troops to check their advance, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) struck. 375 LRA rebels entered Gulu, in mid- April killing at least 50 UPDF soldiers and hunted for the 1,500 fresh recruits who had been receiving training at Lacekocot Atang sub-county in Gulu district, and who were about to be dispatched to Congo RDC. They missed them by one day.
The Uganda authorities suspect that the LRA has recently contacted President Mugabe of Zimbabwe when he visited London. Other rebels, especially those of the Uganda Salvation Front who plan to operate in the east, said recently that they have the support of some regional countries including Zimbabwe.
Further suspicion of regional state involvement were fuelled when the state-owned New Vision reported that a suspected terrorist bomber arrested at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala with a Ugandan passport, was in fact a Zimbabwean. The Zimbabwean authorities swiftly denied the allegation.
Nevertheless, increased rebel raids on Ugandan territory, have had some effect on the tempo of the rebellion in neighbouring Congo RDC. Ugandan military sources say Uganda was forced to temporarily divert 8,000 troops who were to have been dispatched to Congo, to contain the rebel movements within Uganda.
Whatever the case, Ugandan interventionist policy in neighbouring states in the name of security concerns, has been questioned. At the Libyan summit, Kabila insisted Uganda should remove her troops from Congo RDC as a pre-condition for any peace movement.
The fact that Museveni and Kabila, (who referred to Museveni as his "sworn enemy") met at all, was a significant step, and may perhaps lead to peace. Though the rebel movement and Rwanda who were not involved in the summit, expressed doubt about its validity, Uganda's commitment to pull its troops (estimated at 35,000) out of Congo RDC, will certainly have a major influence on the war.
However, Uganda's sincerity was put in doubt when Amama Mbabazi, Uganda Minister for Regional Cooperation, stressed that what was signed in Libya was but a "declaration of intent". Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials in Kampala also expressed similar sentiments, and said Uganda went to Libya as a diplomatic courtesy, and to show that Uganda is not a war- monger.
Nevertheless, the Libyan deal comes amidst reports of growing pressure from political and military quarters inside Uganda for the Ugandan forces to pull out of Congo RDC.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1999 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement