The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Burundi closed its border to Rwanda accusing the country of supporting rebel attacks against it. Red Tabara, a Burundian rebel group, has been notorious with attacks in Burundi and last month it killed 20 people near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame denies the charge, but Burundi’s government has branded him a “bad neighbour”. “We have stopped ties with him until he changes,” said Burundi’s Interior Minister Martin Niteretse.
The Rwandan government responded that it “regrets the unilateral closure of the border by Burundi”, although just five years ago, it shut its border with Uganda citing the same reasons. It said the border closure was an “unfortunate decision” which violated the principles of regional cooperation and the integration of the East Africa Community.
Red Tabara admitted to carrying out the December attack, but said they had only killed nine soldiers and one police officer. The closure is a challenge to the EAC bloc which has struggled to maintain unity in its countries with even new entrants coming on board like DRC and Somalia.
This is not good, but and however, I think our dear neighbour, Rwanda, needs a self-soul-search; as this is becoming a vicious cycle.
Last time, it was Rwanda that unilaterally closed borders with Uganda, even to the point of arbitrary killing several people on the either side of the border who violated the closure.
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