DRC based Homeland Liberation Front rebels asked to return home

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The 4th Division Commander based in Gulu Gen. Bonny Bamwiseki has urged Uganda rebel groups hiding in the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC to return home.

Speaking to journalists in Arua, Bamwiseki referring to the Homeland Liberation Front rebels who have been disturbing the people of Zombo and Nebbi said there is no other better and peaceful place to live in than Uganda.

Currently, there are an estimated over 4,000 rebels of Homeland Liberation Front and other groups based in DRC along the border with West Nile after some of them abandoned and returned home in the last three years.

Bamwiseki explained that some of the rebels are lured with promises of being given dollars and living a good life in the bush which is not the case. According to Bamwiseki, Uganda now has the capacity to resist any form of insurgency facing her and urges the rebels still living in DRC to consider coming back home.

“There is no way anybody can defeat the UPDF and I’m speaking this as a General who has seen it for the last three decades,” said Bamwiseki.

In August, Lieutenant Colonel Emmy Katabazi the Deputy Director of Internal Security Organization-ISO handed over hoes to 14 rebel returnees in Zombo District. He asked the local leaders in greater Nebbi and West Nile to provide a conducive environment for the returnees and call back the rest of the young boys who have joined rebels in DR Cong to return home.

A deadline of September was agreed to reach out and demobilize the rebels. But some of the rebel returnees in Nebbi and Zombo were given hoes and other farm implements to venture into agriculture. However, they are complaining of being abandoned and never resettled after being granted Amnesty.

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