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UPDF Finally Quits DRC

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
June 4, 2003
Posted to the web June 4, 2003

By Joyce Namutebi And John Thawite
Kampala
THE last batch of UPDF troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo has arrived
in the country.
The 53rd battalion crossed River Semiliki on Monday and arrived in Budiba,
Rwebisengo sub-county, Bundibugyo district. About 1,500 men trekked 240km back
home from Bunia in Congo.
Over 15,000 refugees have followed the withdrawing UPDF to Uganda. Welcoming
the troops yesterday at Budiba, state minister for defence Ruth Nankabirwa said
they would not get any allowances. She was reacting to a question from one of
the soldiers on whether they would get allowances.
"We have not provided allowances for you. You went to Congo so that Uganda is
saved. If your country had money, we would have put a hardship allowance. You
went to help ourselves so that Uganda is safe," Nankabirwa said.
She added that without the completion of the defence review programme and a
UPDF comprehensive law, they would not get allowances.
"You are not going back to sleep but to continue with the duty enshrined in the
constitution to protect the territorial integrity of Uganda," Nankabirwa told
the soldiers.
She said under the Uganda defence review programme, they had come up with a
national security policy framework which has identified regional instability as
a key issue to Uganda's stability.
Nankabirwa said Uganda could not be an island as the stability of her
neighbours is of great importance. "I am telling you this so that I prepare you
to be deployed anywhere as long as it will be a solution to Uganda's
stability," she said.
She said Uganda's geographical position can be a security problem, adding that
the burden of being in the DRC was over.
"But you are going to concentrate in other parts of the country, especially in
the north where we still have challenges," she said.
She said Uganda was not saving much money by withdrawing its troops from Congo
"because we still need massive deployment of troops in the north."
She appealed to the UNHCR to help settle the Congolese refugees in Rwebisengo
and Nebbi.

   

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