THE CONGO envoy to Tanzania has accused Rwanda and Uganda of "preparing for another invasion of Congo" in violation of the Lusaka Peace Accord.

In an exclusive interview with The EastAfrican last week, Mr Theodore Mugallu said: "Uganda and Rwanda are deceiving the United Nations and the world that they have implemented the Lusaka Peace Accord. What they are actually doing is shifting troops from one point to another inside Congo."

The Accord requires all foreign troops to withdraw from Congo and rebel forces to stop fighting the government before an effective peace process can begin and UN peacekeeping forces take up positions in the country.

"Presidents Paul Kagame and Yoweri Museveni are sending more troops to the Congo. The troops are now entering Congo through Bukavu and Goma. The only way to prevent another Uganda/Rwanda invasion of Congo is to deploy UN peacekeeping forces along the border between Congo and such belligerent neighbours as Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda," said Mr Mugallu.

Mr Mugallu alleged that since the operation to withdraw troops began last month, there had been increased military activity in the areas under the control of rebel forces, including the setting up by Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi of new 900-troop camps near Uvira, Bukavu and Runingo. 

"This is testimony that they have not moved out of Congo, but have regrouped in order to aggravate their attacks in Congo."

 But the Rwandan envoy to Tanzania, Mr Zephyr Mutanguha, dismissed Mr Mugallu's claims as "baseless." 

"The allegations by the Congo ambassador lack proof. Rwanda's stand on the troop withdrawal is genuine. We have made a decision to pull out of Congo to allow a smooth implementation of the Lusaka Peace Accord," Mr Mutanguha said.

Commenting on the Congolese envoy's claims that Rwanda had bribed 10 Tanzanian journalists and paid them to write positive stories about Rwanda's involvement in Congo, he said: "We can't bribe journalists, they reported what they saw with their own eyes."April 28, 2001.

Mr Mugallu's claims came as President Yoweri Museveni announced last Saturday that Uganda had decided to completely withdraw its troops from Congo.

The announcement followed UN demands for Uganda to arrest and prosecute unknown gunmen who murdered six Red Cross workers in Ugandan-controlled areas of eastern Congo on Friday. The announcement was made in the same breath as a spirited condemnation of a recent UN report that accused Uganda of exploiting Congo's natural resources.

Said the president: "The panelists excelled in malignment and defamation. I have now decided to recommend that Ugandan forces withdraw completely from Congo and also from the Lusaka Peace Process, since our immediate interest of defeating the ADF has been achieved."

Kampala diplomats said they hoped the withdrawal would take place quickly.

But the Congo envoy to Tanzania said the UN report, which also names Rwanda and Burundi as some of the countries who have plundered millions of dollars worth of timber, minerals and wildlife trophies under the pretext of helping to restore peace in Congo, was proof that they were trying to hoodwink the international community about their real reasons for being in Congo.

Mr Mugallu said that the invasion had been carefully targeted at mineral rich areas such as Bunia, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani and Mbuji Mayi. He cited Kisangani as the only place in the world where green diamonds are found. "Nearly three million have perished in Congo due to the unjustifiable invasion. Those involved should be brought to justice the same way the Rwandan genocide perpetrators are being dealt with," the Congolese ambassador said. Meanwhile, a Human Rights Watch report issued on April 20 has urged the UN Security Council to take action against the looting of resources by foreign troops in the Congo.