Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Goma (Agenzia Fides)- MONUC peacekeepers of the United Nations mission Democratic Congo intervened this morning, 27 November, against military dissidents in Sake, 20 km from Goma, in eastern Kivu region. The UN troops supported by helicopters intervened against rebel military contingents which had already clashed with soldiers loyal to the government of Kinshasa.
The rebels troops are connected with deposed general Laurent Nkunda “wanted by international courts for war crimes committed between 1998 and 2003” local sources remind Fides. “He is the leader of the Congolese Union Democracy, main rebel group which signed a peace agreement in 2003”. As a result the former rebels were integrated into the new army. “Despite international efforts and material aid and instructors, the new army is not perfectly integrated and some elements are still faithful to former generals, like Nkunda” the sources told Fides.
The rebellion staged by Nkunda’s men is in a framework of tension with regard to elections won by outgoing president Joseph Kabila. “Nkunda backed the other candidate, Jean-Pierre Bemba. But most people in the east voted for Kabila” the sources recall. “When Kabila’s victory was announced and supporters began to celebrate in some villages troops loyal to Nkunda opened fire on the demonstrations”.
This evening the supreme court will give a verdict with regard to Bemba’s appeal on the grounds that the vote was irregular. The Court’s offices were partly destroyed last week in a violent protest and the judges had to move to the Foreign Ministry building. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/11/2006 righe 33 parole 393)
