DRC militia kills five Ugandan fishermen on lake Albert

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five people are feared dead and two others critically injured in an attack against Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert. The attack, by suspected Lendu militiamen, happened near Kaiso Landing site in Tonya parish, Hoima district last night.

The deceased persons have only been identified as Patrick, Moses, Eric, Jakwonga and Olivier, all fishermen attached to Kaiso landing site. It is alleged that the fishermen were attacked by a group of eight men armed with three guns, panga’s, spears, bows and arrows. They allegedly cut the five fishermen into pieces and dumped their bodies in the lake.

Felix Harerimana, one of the survivors who spoke to Uganda Radio Network from Kaiso Landing Site on Tuesday Afternoon, explained that the suspected militiamen dressed in camouflage uniform attacked them at around 11:30 p.m. and ordered them off their boat.

But before they could respond, one of the militiamen jumped into the same boat and hacked one of the fishermen identified as Patrick to death before dumping his body into the water. Harerimana says he jumped into the water and started swimming upon realizing that their life was in danger. He was rescued at 5:00 a.m. by another group which was on a fishing expedition.

Harerimana says he was injured in the back and chest.

Henry Irumba, the Chairperson of Kaiso Landing site says this is the biggest attack by Congolese armed men on the Lake. He calls on the Ugandan government to deploy more security operatives to save the lives of Ugandan fishermen since they no longer feel secure on the lake.

Irumba says, suspected Congolese Militiamen also confiscated two boat Engines, a set of Fishing nets and a boat before crossing back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

John Kato,   a resident of Kaiso faults Uganda’s security organs for not helping Ugandan fishermen. He says that DRC armed soldiers have continued to cross up to Landing sites in Uganda to attack Ugandan fishermen despite the presence of a Uganda Peoples Defense Forces – UPDF detaches at Kaiso Landing Site.

He says that the DRC soldiers have taken over the security of Uganda in parts of Hoima and wonders why the government of Uganda has always kept a deaf ear to the attacks against o Ugandans.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson confirms the attack adding that police have started investigating the matter. He says arrangements are being made to ensure that Marine police and other sister security agencies begin searching for the bodies of those dumped in the lake.

By press time not a single body had been retrieved from the lake.

Since February this year, attacks by suspected Congolese armed men have been rampant on the Lake Albert waters with the majority of Ugandan fishermen losing their gear in the hands of the Congolese.

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