AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “Let’s hope words are followed by action” a missionary in east Congo tells Fides after Rwanda’s announcement that it does not intend to attack Democratic Congo

Monday, 20 December 2004

Bukavu (Fides Service)- “It sounds good but we want to see action” a local Church source in Bukavu, in the east of Democratic Congo told Fides with regard to the Rwandan government’s announcement that it does not intend to attack Congo. “We will no longer threaten to enter Congo” the Rwandan foreign minister said today, 20 December.
According to the UN mission in Congo MONUC, Rwandan already has troops in Congo. “Yesterday 19 December there were fierce clashes near Ishasha, not far from the border with Uganda” the sources told Fides. “Mai Mai gueriilas who support the Congo government are said to have inflicted heavy casualties on the Rwandan troops” the sources said asking to remain anonymous for security reasons. “The Rwandan troops retaliated attacking surrounding villages. Many civilians just disappeared”.
The fact that there is fighting in east Congo is proved by the fact that according to Fides sources yesterday two trucks of corpses were driven through the streets of Goma in the direction of Rwanda. “The bodies were almost certainly those of Rwandan soldiers killed in fighting over the past few days” the sources told Fides.
Goma, main town in North Kivu, confirms itself as a focal point of trouble. “There is an atmosphere of terror. Every night death squads break into homes and abduct student leaders and representatives of the civil society fighting for a free and peaceful Congo” our sources report.
In the meantime the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Laurent Pasinya Monsengwo of Ksiangani launched an appeal for peace and national unity. “We condemn all violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and reaffirm that national integrity and sovereignty cannot be negotiated. We say no to the Balkanisation of Congo” the Archbishop said in a message “The nation is in danger. People of Congo stand up!”.
Archbishop Monsengwo said “for some time there have been reliable and repeated reports of the presence of foreign troops on Congolese soil. Because of the fighting people already sorely tried are being forced move away from their homes creating another serious humanitarian crisis. The situation is scandalous and concerning since it comes only weeks after an agreement signed in Dar es Salaam by heads of state of the Great Lakes region who vowed to solve problems together and peacefully. Peace in the region is once again threatened”.
In this situation the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference urged bordering countries to “withdraw their troops from Congo territory and realise that relations of good neighbours peace and development are better than a useless war”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/12/2004 righe 42 parole 505)


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