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By William Rwebembera and Fred Kayizzi
The Congolese government has heavily deployed its army on the border with Uganda following the attack on an oil boat in Lake Albert in the early hours of Friday, in which a British contractor was killed.
The Ugandan Government believes the attackers were members of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC).
At least one Congolese soldier was killed and one wounded during the 15-minute firefight between the attackers and oil security guards, backed by UPDF soldiers, near Rukwanzi Island.
A source in eastern Congo said there was a heavy presence of soldiers at Kasenyi landing site, where the Friday night attackers are believed to have come from.
“About three hours after offloading the dead body, our landing site was invaded by heavily armed soldiers,” the source, who preferred to remain anonymous,
told Sunday Vision.
“Late in the evening more came. Their presence frightened us and we did not go for fishing. Until now they have not convened a meeting to tell us what is going on.”
Ugandan fishermen and traders living along the shores of Lake Albert in the DRC said they were scared following hostile reactions by the Congolese, who are accusing Ugandans of trying to grab their wealth.
On Friday, the Congolese fishermen barred them from fishing at Kasenyi landing site and advised them to pack their belongings and return to their country.
“We are afraid because our colleagues have turned against us and are threatening to throw us out of their country. Already there is ethnic tension in the area,” the source said.
Another source at Kasenyi said the body of a Congolese soldier was carried from one of the army boats on Friday morning, while another one at the rank of a lieutenant was rushed to Kyama Hospital with serious injuries.
However, an eye-witness at Rukwanzi Island, who is also an employee of Mineral Services Limited, a company contracted by Heritage, said a number of Congolese soldiers either drowned or dived into the water during the exchange of fire.
The Hoima Resident District Commissioner, Martha Asiimwe, said security in the area had been beefed up to allow oil exploration to go on.
Meanwhile, Alfred Wasike reports, President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday morning held an emergency meeting at State House with his top army and security officers over the matter. Security and army chiefs were expected to fly to Hoima in the afternoon.
There is no word yet from the Congolese government about the attack. “I will only speak about this incident on Monday,” Congo’s representative in Kampala, Biselele Wa Mutshipayi, told Sunday Vision.
Congo’s defence minister, Chikez Diemu, on Friday said he did not believe the gunmen were Congolese soldiers.
“There are many armed elements and bandits in the region but this attack I do not think it was done by Congolese soldiers,” Diemu told Reuters by telephone.
“If we find that it was, those responsible will be punished.”
But security sources say there is no doubt that the attackers were from FARDC.
“The attackers are definitely members of the Congolese army. They wanted to abduct the oil workers to give the impression that they were operating in the DRC,” a highly-placed security source said.
“These skirmishes are because of the oil being explored. The Congolese soldiers seem to be convinced that some of those oil wells are in their country since the demarcation line between the two countries does not seem to be clear on the water.”
The fact that most islands on Lake Albert are inhabited by Congolese fishermen adds to the conviction that Lake Albert belongs to Congo, the source explained.
Friday’s attack took place around Rukwanzi Island, the same spot where four UPDF soldiers were arrested by DRC forces last weekend, and accused of crossing into Congolese territory.
“Uganda has made a formal protest to the government in Kinshasa over this unwarranted provocation,” said UPDF spokesperson Major Felix Kulayigye.
“This is unacceptable. Last week they abducted four of our soldiers. On Friday, they attacked our exploration crew doing its work inside Uganda territory. We believe that there are well established channels that the DRC can use to address its grievances.”
He assured the population and the oil companies that steps were being taken to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
“All efforts are being made to ensure peace and security in the Great Lakes Region,” he stressed.
Published on: Saturday, 4th August, 2007
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