DATE=5/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UGANDA / RWANDA (L-O)
NUMBER=2-262198
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Uganda and Rwanda are accusing each other of
massing troops along their border. Todd Pitman in the
Rwandan capital, Kigali, reports the charges are being
made just days after the two armies clashed in the
rebel-held Congolese city - Kisangani.
TEXT: Rwandan government spokesman Joseph Bideri said
the Ugandan army first began massing extra troops
along the border last Friday, when clashes broke out
between the armies in Kisangani.
But the Ugandan government denies the accusations and
has instead accused Rwanda of building up its own
troop presence along the frontier, a charge Rwanda
denies.
Witnesses on both sides of the border have reported
large numbers of soldiers from both armies headed
toward the frontier, but no cross-border incidents
have been reported.
The accusations reflect a rapidly growing tension
between the two countries.
Once considered the strongest of allies, Rwanda and
Uganda both sent troops to Congo-Kinshasa in 1998 to
support rebels fighting to overthrow President Laurent
Kabila. But last year, differences emerged over how
to conduct the war and each country began backing
rival rebel factions.
Those divisions erupted into full-scale fighting last
August when the two armies battled for control of the
diamond-rich city of Kisangani.
Clashes resumed again last Friday at Kisangani's main
airport, where the Ugandan and Rwandan armies are dug
into trenches on opposite sides of the runway.
In an effort to diffuse the tensions, Ugandan army
commander Jeje Odongo met with his Rwandan counterpart
Kayumba Nyamwasa.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame is due to meet Ugandan
President Yoweri Museveni to discuss the escalating
crisis Sunday in Tanzania. Tanzanian President
Benjamin Mkapa also will take part. (SIGNED)
NEB/TP/JWH/RAE
10-May-2000 13:14 PM EDT (10-May-2000 1714 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
