1994 RWANDAN GENOCIDE: BOMBS RECOVERED IN ECHUYA FOREST– UGANDA

BY VANANSIO KAKOGOSO

IN RUBANDA—

Police in Rubanda district yesterday detonated two bombs that were
recovered in Echuya Forest Reserve. Echuya forest reserve borders
Rubanda and Kisoro Districts and Rwanda.
According to locals, the 82mm mortar bomb and a hand bomb grenade were
recovered from the forest on Tuesday evening by one Kamuhanda a
resident of Mushongati cell in Kashasha parish Bufundi Sub County,
Rubanda District.

Deus Muhumuza, one of the locals from Nyarurambi cell, in Kishanje
Parish, Bufundi sub County, Rubanda District says that the bombs were
left in the forest in 1994 Rwandan Genocide war. Muhumuza suspects
that more ammunition could still be dumped in the same forest reverse
calling security officials to make extra search.

The Gomborora Internal Security Officer for Bufundi sub County Lauben
Kabahoze , says that Kamuhanda recovered the bombs while in the forest
to get manure for his crops. Kabahoze says that the bombs were rushed
to Bufundi Police post and alerted security officials at the District
for intervention.
The Rubanda District Chairperson Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema says that
there is a great need for security officials to make thorough search
of ammunition in the forest.

The Rubanda District Police Commander Tai Ramadhan, says that when
they got the information he immediately alerted the office of Counter
Terrorism Police in Kampala for help who detonated the two bombs.

He also warns the public against tampering with such ammunitions
saying they risk losing their lives by usingtheir bare hands to tamper
with the bombs.

He adds that locals should always alert relevant
authorities for a possible solution. Ramadhan says that police will
sit to see how searching for more ammunition in the forest reverse can
be handled.

In 2008 two light machine guns (LMG) were recovered from the forest by
locals and were handed over to security officials.