AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - UN peacekeeper killed and 6 wounded in Ituri: local militia group suspected. “But the regular army troops also attack civilians”

Friday, 13 May 2005

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Bunia (Fides Service)- “We are waiting to see how the UN Mission in Congo MONUC reacts to the attack on UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh in which one was killed and 6 others were wounded” said local forces in Bunia, main town in Ituri, in the north east of Democratic Congo
The attacked happened yesterday, 12 May, in the locality of Geti, 50 km south-east of Bunia. Militiamen opened fire on 4 United Nations vehicles and in the confusion a jeep overturned injuring four UN soldiers. Three others were caught in the shooting, one of them, the most seriously wounded, died. The UN troops were rescued and the attackers fled thanks to the intervention of an armed helicopter.
“The attackers were almost certainly members of the Patriotic Resistance Forces in Ituri FRPI a Lendu militia group which has operated in the area for some time” the sources told Fides.
Lendu and Hema are the main ethnic groups in Ituri, although not the only ones, and they have fought over land since 1999. Dozens of armed groups operate in the area fighting each other and carrying out raids and massacres of civilians. A contingent of UN peacekeepers sent by MONUC to disarm these groups has been attacked several times by FRPI groups which refuse to disarm. The most serious episode was on 25 February this year when 9 UN peacekeepers, also from Bangladesh, were killed in an ambush 20 km from Bunia.
“Despite the presence of MONUC security conditions in the region are still fragile” the sources told Fides. “Besides the militia groups, the situation has been worsened with the arrival of Congo army troop which in theory should reaffirm government control on the central region”.
“These troops, mostly from other parts of the country, sack civilian homes and rape the local women. Unfortunately the UN troops are too engaged with the militia groups to intervene” the sources concluded.
Since 1999 fighting in Ituri has caused 60,000 dead and 600,000 refugees. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/5/2005 righe 35 parole 405)