Govt Ready For Talks With ADF – Kiyonga
Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga has told Parliament that government is ready to hold dialogue with the Allied Defence Forces.
Kiyonga says the NRM has in principle made it clear that they are ready to listen and resolve any conflict through peaceful dialogue.
His comments followed Nzoghu William MP Busongora North stating that last week the ADF attacked Congo leading to the influx of refugees into Uganda.
On the 16th this month Hilary Onek, Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, stated on the floor of Parliament that government is ready to hold talks with the ADF yet the rebel group has not attacked Uganda.
Nzoghu also demanded an explanation on how government knows that it is the ADF operating in Congo and why government has not come out clearly to tell Ugandans what is happening.
The Defence Minister also affirmed that there are rebels of the ADF in the Congo that have been recruiting both in Congo and in Uganda with the intention to invade Uganda.
It’s on this basis that they have preventive deployment along the western border just in case the ADF tries to enter they should be ready to defend their population.
He reiterated the fact that Uganda is the chair of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region and are currently chairing meetings to help resolve the conflict in Eastern Congo. Among the negative forces they are addressing in Congo include ADF.
Relief agencies in the country this week rushed to Bundibugyo town following an influx of over 30,000 refugees from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Office of the Prime Minister, UNHCR, Uganda Red Cross Society (URC) have already set camp in Bundibugyo to offer assistance to people fleeing renewed violence in eastern Congo.