Since August this year when the FPU operations intensfied on Lake Albert to fight illegal fishing practices, there have been no attacks on Ugandan fishermen.
Now Simon Baleke, a fisherman at Bugoma landing site in Kyangwali sub county in Kikuube says ever since the FPU commenced their operations on the lake, attacks by suspected Congolese militiamen on Ugandan fishermen have stopped. He wants the operation to continue to save them from being attacked by the suspected Congolese armed men.
The seven suspected militiamen, four of them dressed in the DRC military uniform, placed several fishermen at gunpoint and ordered them to surrender their fishing gear. After executing their mission, they crossed to the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Ethien Arua, one of the affected fishermen.
Reginal Ngamita, the Buhuka Parish LC 2 Chairperson told Uganda Radio Network in an Interview that the suspected militiamen raided the lake between 4 am and 5 am on Monday morning.
The attack occurred in the wee hours of Saturday morning at around 5a.m near the Bugoma landing site in Buhuka parish Kyangwali sub county in Kikuube district.
“How can these attacks happen and no action is being taken by the government? Since 2018 my subjects have been suffering, they are being put on gunpoint before they are robbed. These cases are all being reported to the relevant government security agencies but no any action is taken to save my people.” -Omukama Iguru.
Robert Ofoi, one of the affected fishermen wonders why the government has left them to suffer in the hands of the suspected Congolese militiamen who have continued to cause untold suffering to them.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson says that the suspected Congolese militiamen that were dressed in DRC military uniform raided the lake and placed several fishermen at gunpoint, and ordered them to surrender the boats to them.
The armed militiamen raided the lake at around 2 a.m near Kaiso landing site in Kabaale sub-county Hoima district. They placed several fishermen at gunpoint and ordered them to surrender the engines.
The suspected DRC Militia raided Lake Albert near Kaiso landing site in Mbegu Parish, Kabaale sub county Hoima district robbing 19 boat engines and four fishing boats. The attack occurred on March,21,2021.
Fred Mujuni, the Chairman of Kaiso landing site fishing community told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Monday that the Congolese criminals released six of the nineteen boat engines after their owners each paid USD 500 to have their boat engine released.
The militiamen raided the Lake on March 21, 2021, near the Kaiso Landing Site in Hoima district and robbed the boat engines from Ugandan fishermen, who were held at gunpoint. The attackers crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo after the incident.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson told Uganda Radio Network on Sunday afternoon that although security teams were notified by the affected fishermen, it was too late for them to pursue the suspected militiamen because they had already fled and crossed to DRC. But, he adds, Ugandan authorities are already engaging counterparts in Congo to solve the recurring problem.
They were allegedly abducted on March 14, 2021, while fishing near the Kaiso Landing Site in Hoima district. It is alleged that four armed Militiamen raided the Lake Albert waters and put the fishermen at gunpoint before ordering them to surrender their possessions.
Some of the abducted Ugandan fishermen are currently being held at the Tchomia Landing Site, Bunia district in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But their colleagues at Kaiso Landing Site are now asking Ugandan authorities to engage their counterparts in the DRC for their release.
The abducted Fishermen have only been identified as Okello,Jawia,Onen and Osaga all fishermen attached to Kijangi landng site Buseruka Sub county Hoima district.
