Alfred Tumushabe
9 June 2008
Mbarara — The Rwanda government has promised that it will not violate Uganda's airspace again, following a May 18 incident in the south western district of Kisoro.
Rwandan military and foreign service officials made the pledge on Friday at the end of talks with their Ugandan counterparts in Kabale.
The May 18 mishap saw a Rwandese Mi-17 helicopter gunship stray into the Ugandan airspace for about 80 km over Kisoro.
During the day long closed meeting, Rwanda said the incident was an "overshot" by the pilot who was supposed to carryout a mission within the confines of Rwanda territory.
"It was a very good meeting. The issue was solved amicably. They [Rwandese] promised this will not happen again in future," Capt Paddy Ankunda, Uganda's Defence and Army spokesman said in a telephone interview with Daily Monitor after the meeting.
He added, "It was explained and understood that the pilot overshot and flew into our territory while he was doing aerial reconnaissance near the border against the interahmwe rebels."
Capt Ankunda said from the meeting it has been agreed that in future Rwanda should inform Uganda in case they are to carry out any such scouting near the border, as this could even lead led to a joint operation.
Rwanda believes that the Hutu rebel group FDLR-commonly known as Interahamwe uses Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks, and Icuya forest in Kisoro to launch attacks against President Paul Kagame's government.
Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks and Icuya forest are in an enclave shared by Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo.
The rebels have their main bases in DR Congo.
Uganda security officials however say no rebel group would use its territory to attack the neighbours because Uganda is a signatory of the Tripartite plus security agreement that also includes Rwanda, DR Congo and Burundi to rid the Great Lakes region of what signatories call "negative forces."
Formerly very close allies, the two countries [Uganda and Rwanda] had bloody clash in Kisangani (DR Congo) eight years ago, a legacy that is still fresh in the minds of Ugandans, and leaves them with little confidence in the said improved relations between the two countries.
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