Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bukavu (Fides Service) – Mysterious shooting in the city of Bukavu, in the south of the Kivu eastern region of Democratic Congo is causing fear of a new outbreak of hostilities the local Catholic Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani di Bukavu told Fides. First shots were heard in the afternoon on 3 February coming from the Nguba district of Bukavu. The following night people were woken by sound of gunfire around midnight and the shooting lasted for an hour
Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani said that shooting may have been an attempt by the army to disarm troops of one of the local warlords. During an investigating the next day army troops discovered and confiscated a large deposit of weapons and ammunition. The United Nations peace keeping mission in Congo MONUC, said that one soldier was killed and two seriously wounded.
The recent shooting may be the new unified army’s way of showing it is the only legitimate military authority. Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani, said that the people in Bukavu are asking: “Who would want to hide arms in Bukavu? Do these weapons mean that someone is preparing a third war for Congo? Who is plotting against the Republic?”.
Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani said that solutions must be found for a number of problems with regard to the army at this difficult time of transition. The army at present is under one commander, this must change: effective control of all divisions which form the new Congolese army must be guaranteed. Moreover selling of arms must be regulated and attempts at mutiny repressed.
The local Church warned repeatedly that a new war was being prepared in north and south Kivu. In September 2003 the Vicar General of Bukavu diocese, Mgr François Xavier Maroy Rusengo, wrote to Fides: “for some time there have been rumours that preparations are being made for another war. Who is preparing to fight and against whom? In some parts of the diocese somebody is supplying young men with weapons, ammunition, mobile phones…why? We have heard of meetings attended even by men who come to church to discuss attacks, but who the mandates are we have no idea” Mons. Rusengo said: “there is a danger of large scale massacres like in Kisangani, Ituri, and elsewhere, but who stands to gain from the death of innocent civilians? There are some who try to incite tribes against one another and this is something unknown in the area. We must remember that we are all brothers and sisters, to avoid the malediction of Cain.” (see Fides 22 September 2003, http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2003/0309/22_1060.html) (L.M.) (Fides Service 6/2/2004, lines 3 words 453)
