According to reports, the armed Congolese soldiers carried an impromptu raid on the fishermen at around 9 pm accusing them of encroaching on the Congolese side. They arrested the fishermen and took away their gears to Congo.
Two Congolese soldiers have been arrested on Lake Albert.
The soldiers were arrested on Friday as they robbed Ugandan fishermen of
their fishing boats, Nets and boat Engines near Bugoigo landing site in Buliisa
district and Dei in Pakwach district respectively. Two Submachine guns were recovered from the soldiers. Each gun had 30
rounds of ammunition.
The soldiers have been identified as Mouli Mweni
29 and Patrick Njangu Bukamba both attached to Mahagi Port Bunia district in
the Eastern Democratic of Congo.
According to reports, the
armed Congolese soldiers carried an impromptu raid on the fishermen at around 9
pm accusing them of encroaching on the Congolese side. They arrested the
fishermen and took away their gears to Congo.
Toko Swaib the RDC Pakwach said that out of the 13 boats of the
Ugandan Fishermen that the Congolese authorities impounded, occupants of the
two that were behind managed to overpower the Congolese soldiers and arrested
them. Toko explained that the fishermen later sailed to Bullisa with the
Congolese soldiers who they had overpowered and handed them over to the Ugandan
authorities.
// Cue in; On 22nd of January…
Cue out: “…to
resolve peacefully.//
According to Toko, arrangements are being made to transfer the two
Congolese soldiers with to Pakwach where the matter will be handled with the
Congolese authorities at Dei.
Reports from Intelligence sources indicate that the Congolese
soldiers took the Uganda security personnel at Dei and Panyimur by surprise as
they abducted the 33 Ugandan fishermen.
Attacks on Ugandan fishermen by suspected Congolese Militiamen
have been rampant since February 2018.
Dozens of Ugandan fishermen have lost their fishing gear including boats,
fishing nets, boat engines, hooks and money to the militiamen in the past two
years.
After robbing the fishing gear, the militiamen demand payment to return them.
April 2020, Two suspected Congolese militiamen were gunned down by Uganda
Peoples Defense forces-UPDF Soldiers on the lake Albert waters in Hoima
district.
The duo was gunned down in a fire exchange between the militia and the Uganda
peoples defense forces-UPDF soldiers. Five others were also arrested by the
UPDF while on the lake.
