North Kivu:­­­­ Life and death under Uganda’s drones on Congolese Families

UPDF Russian made Drones are increasingly being used for surveillance and extra judicial execution in parts of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo under disguise of eliminating the Allied democratic forces (ADF) but in nowhere more than Gaza has the drone become a permanent fixture of life.

The war is not even making headlines in Uganda except in the medias owned by state house, there brutal messages on social media from defenders of so called Muhoozi project of destroying ADF using such destructive weapons is another example of how there is no escape from the drones to residence of north Kivu.

Parents want their children indoors, where it feels safer and where they’re less likely to hear the drones, but still the drone finds a way into their homes , situation is in terrifying state.

Uganda has not yet communicated anything concerning destroyed families instead one of its senior military officers Pady Ankunda is spending the day sharing images of how Congolese are living in poor state and also differing media owned by state house are busy sharing army parades in their attires and nothing concerning capture of ADF insurgents as reported by UPDF spokes person has been shown.

Another shocking perspective on experts in the region is that, UPDF deployed in the region without knowing estimated number of ADF rebels in the area, also up to there is a clear a picture that there was no well researched Intel for Uganda because they did not know how roads were not passable.

Opposition activists have distanced themselves from UPDF operations in DR Congo calling international body to impose possible charges of war crimes on those involved talking to the media Rt. Col. Besigye said “UPDF must pull back and let the United Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO) take charge of the problem. Secondly excessive use of force and profiling of Muslims needs to stop,”

“In 1998 when UPDF was deployed in DRC, I was still in the forces. The army commander then Gen. Jeje Odongo was asked by Parliament whether our forces were deployed. He denied it. But Gen. Saleh later contradicted the army commander saying UPDF was deep in Congo,” Besigye said.

Besigye suggested that Uganda should use UN and DRC forces to deal with the ADF crisis and if they don’t have necessary expertise and knowledge to deal with the crisis, it can embed local personnel.

 “But secondly, we must deal with the grievances that led to formation of ADF. ADF is a local problem. The management of conflict in Uganda must deal with the causes and not the effect,” he said.

The Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago said MPs should ask questions about the invasion of DR Congo by UPDF because there must be a clear statement on deployment.

In 2005, the International Court of Justice based in The Hague ordered Uganda to pay reparations to Congo for violating its sovereignty and breaching human rights laws. Kinshasa is still seeking $13 billion in compensation, which Kampala has called “ruinous”.

Uganda was active in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Congo wars and it is accused of violations and looting resources, so crossing the border back into the DRC is extremely contentious and so far reports has it that logs of trees from Semliki forests which have been cut in roads being constructed by UPDF Brigade have been seen crossing into Uganda via its porous border with DR Congo.

Many Ugandans continue portraying the war to be anti Rwanda move based on threatening tweets from Museveni’s son on his twitter account of plans destroying the enemy which many perceive to be meaning Rwanda.

On the other side of Rwanda natives have reported to this media group that there is no deployment along its borders with DR Congo, however the situation is intense on Uganda side in south west Kisoro district.

Earlier this a defense committee of parliament chaired by Niyonsaba Alex MP of Bufumbira south visited areas of Kisoro inspecting security status more especially on the borders of Rwanda and Bunagana bordering DR Congo.

Kisoro for a period of two years has seen increase of military deployments in the area including tight checkpoints on its exit on the Echuya forest with deadly military checkpoint.