AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “Respect civilians” says human rights organisation to UN peacekeepers in Bunia, main town in Ituri

Monday, 25 April 2005

Bunia (Fides Service)- Justice-Plus, a civil society organisation based in Bunia, has called on UN peace keepers in the region to “avoid killing civilians”. Bunia is the main town in Ituri in north east of Democratic Congo. According to a local Catholic news agency DIA the organisation has said MONUC, the UN mission in Congo, should continue to dismantle militia military bases in Ituri belonging Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and the National Integralist Front (FNI) and encourage those who want to leave the ranks of these armed movements, but Justice Plus said MONUC must conduct these operations in such a way as to spare the life of civilians.
In March MONUC was accused of killing civilians during a raid on the Lendu village of Loga. The Lendu villagers said MONUC attacked the innocent village, killing civilians and burning dozens of homes in retaliation for the killing of 9 UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh a few days earlier in Ituri. During the MONUC raid at least 50 Lendu militia, members of the FNI were killed. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/4/2005 righe 20 parole 220)


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