Amnesty Commission hails UPDF for peace restoration efforts in Eastern DRC 

The Amnesty Commission has commended the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) for its outstanding efforts in restoring peace in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and implementing the Amnesty Act.

Draku Moses, the Principle Public Relations Officer of Amnesty Commission, was on Wednesday addressing the media at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Mbuya, during the release of the third Cohort of Ex-Allied Democratic Forces combatants and victims who had undergone rehabilitation.

They are composed of 30 people, 13 from the Democratic Republic of Congo and 17 from Uganda, and will be reunited with their families.

Drako urged them to behave well and follow government laws when they return to their respective communities.

He challenged them to utilise their acquired skills to improve their living standards.

He thanked the Bridgeway Foundation for supporting the rehabilitation of ex-ADF combatants and victims by equipping them with skills to help transform their lives.

The project manager of Bridgeway Foundation, Tumwebaze Noah, said that the ex-ADF combatants and victims have been at their rehabilitation centre for four months and were equipped with skills like baking, tailoring, mechanics, craft making, spiritual counselling aimed at correcting the wrong ADF ideology and also offered medical support.

He urged Ugandans not to be deceived and fall into the trap of ADF recruitment through promises of getting jobs abroad and Islamic Religious Education.

He said that the foundation will continue supporting them even after reuniting with their families by taking them back to schools for formal education and vocational schools.

At the same function, five ex-ADF combatants received Amnesty certificates.

Relatedly, the Bridge Way Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs to rehabilitate the captured combatants and equip them with skills before reuniting them with their families.