Hoima/KAMPALA. Uganda government has threatened to use military force against Democratic Republic of Congo forces if attacks on its citizens on Ugandan soil ever re-occurs.
The threats came three days after Congolese soldiers entered Uganda’s territory on Lake Albert and shot four police marines while they were patrolling the border.
The outgoing State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem, who described the incident as an abhorrent conduct of Congolese soldiers, said they have put DRC on notice that a repeat any attack may lead to hot pursuit by Uganda’s armed force to repel such attackers.
“A repeat of these incidents may compel the Uganda authorities to take self-defense measures to protect its citizens,” Mr Oryem said in a press briefing at Foreign Affairs ministry in Kampala City.
In international law under hot pursuit armed forces of one country can pursue and arrest an armed and violent suspect fleeing into a neighbouring country. Uganda has previously entered DRC on the same similar grounds.
The four police officers killed were identified as Sgt Faruk Waiswa, Cpl Biral Obara, Constable Moses Ochen and Constable Bernard Isingoma.
The officers were responding to an illegal fishing incident by Congolese nationals in Ugandan waters when they were ambushed by the Congolese soldiers. After they were ambushed, their rifles and police boat were seized. Their bodies are still kept in Bunia General Hospital in Eastern DRC.
Photographs taken after the attack show that one officer was captured alive and taken DRC side, but later died under unclear circumstances.
The incident was one of the many violent attacks by the Congolese officials in disputed points on Lake Albert despite the 2007 Ngurdoto Agreement between the two countries to resolve such incidents in peaceful manner.
Uganda government yesterday summoned DRC Chargé d’affaires and gave him a protest note in which it made four major demands including bringing the Congolese soldiers to justice and compensation of the families of the killed officers.
“Uganda demands…the immediate repatriation of the bodies, equipment and all the personal belongings of the victims,” Mr Oryem said.
Mr Oryem said Uganda government demanded that “an immediate joint implementation of the agreed to mechanisms under the NGURDOTO Agreement under Article III and the outcomes of the Joint Permanent Commission between the two countries of 23-27 August 2014 in Kinshasa, to forestall the reoccurrence of similar incidents.”
Uganda Police chief, Gen. Kale Kayihura, said they are reviewing the security agencies’ posture and reinforced the existing forces at the border points to ensure that they aren’t caught off-guard.
“…,” Gen. Kayihura said.
The Congolese Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Christian Katoto, declined to comment on the matter when contacted.
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