Bunia (Fides Service) – “When the international peacekeeping force arrived we thought they would help restore peace; but we are perplexed to see the way they work”. This was reported to Fides Service by a local observer in Bunia. The city of Bunia in north east of Democratic Congo has been the centre of fierce fighting between Hema and Lendu tribes. To stop the conflict the international community agreed to send a peacekeeping force led by France. The deployment of the troops began in late May.
“Bunia is calm again for the moment” the local source said “ but people are still deeply divided. The attitude of the foreign troops does not help to restore trust. For example at roadblocks soldiers always ask the ethnic group of the person or persons and this fans the embers of ethnic hatred. They should not do this because it only pours oil on the coals”.
“People are also angry at the way the peacekeeping troops carry out searches. The soldiers appear to be siding with one of the parties instead of remaining neutral. We fear that when the international force withdraws from Bunia fighting will resume more violent than ever, because the problems at the root of the conflict have not been solved.”
“If the international community truly intends to put an end to the conflict it must promote a culture of peace”, the local Fides source concluded. LM (Fides Service 2/7/2003 EM lines 38 Words: 478)