UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Great Lakes: IRIN Update 116, 03/04/97

Great Lakes: IRIN Update 116, 03/04/97

U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Department of Humanitarian Affairs
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Subject: Great Lakes: IRIN Update 116 for 4 Mar 1997 97.3.4

* The rebel Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (ADFL) is advancing on Kisangani from various fronts, report news agencies and humanitarian sources. AFP reports a group of rebels reaching the town of Bengamisa, some 40 kilometers north of the provincial capital, after treking from the east and taking pirogues down the Lindi River.

Humanitarian sources in Kisangani said this afternoon that there is tension in Kisangani, because of rumours circulating about an ADFL advance from the Bafwasende direction. Residents of Kisangani are also anticipating the arrival of thousands of Rwandan refugees from Tingi-Tingi. Tingi-Tingi camps, some 240 kilometers south of Kisangani, was home to 170,000 Rwandans before it fell to the ADFL on Saturday.

* In the Zairean press, Le Soft said that the evacuation of international humanitarian agencies from Tingi-Tingi was "the symbol of abandonment of Zaire" by the international community. The daily newspaper Umoja commented on the fall of Kindu to the ADFL, saying the garrison town was the door to Kasai Oriental, and speculated that Mbuji-Mayi may be the next major target for Kabila's troops. Umoja also announced that opposition leader Tshisekedi would hold a press conference on Tuesday (today) saying he was expected to talk about contacts with Kabila. According to Umoja, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni wants both Tshisekedi and Kabila present at the Organisation of African Unity summit in Lome, Togo, March 26.

* Zairean Foreign Minister Gerard Kamanda Wa Kamanda is expected in Paris, a French government spokesman said yesterday. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Kamanda would be met by the director of the African affairs department in the ministry, Jean-Didier Roisin, and would also hold talks with advisors to President Jacques Chirac. Meetings are expected to focus on the civil war in eastern Zaire, said the spokesman. On Saturday, French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette said that President Mobutu Sese Seko was "undoubtedly the only person capable of contributing to the solution of the problem", regarding the civil war crisis.

* The independent Zairean human rights agency, AZADHO, confirms the existence of several mass graves in eastern Zaire, reports the Zairean daily La Reference. The graves are reportedly at various sites near Mugunga camp, Kibumba, Katale, Sake and other locations. The report says the graves contain the bodies of refugees - men, women and children - who were executed with a bullet through the head.

* In Burundi, two people were killed and two wounded in what has been reported as two seperate "shootouts" in Bujumbura last night. Military sources said the first incident occured in the eastern neighbourhood of Mutanga-Sud when Hutu rebels burst into a bar killing a soldier and a student and injuring one person. The second attack was carried out in a central neighbourhood when anti-terrorist troops tried to arrest a criminal suspect who opened fire on them injuring one of the soldiers.

* In Bururi, southern Burundi, Hutu rebels fired three mortar shells at the town and created panic among residents yesterday. The shells fell in a field and no-one was reported injured. Bururi province is home to many Burundian officers of Tutsi origin, reports AFP, and is an area of heavy fighting between the Hutu rebels and government troops.

* Sources in Burundi told IRIN that the Burundian military has been flying in large quantities of new supplies, in open contravention of regional sanctions. A witness said the Burundian army had been unloading new Mercedes military trucks, along with other cargo from a Russian-made cargo plane.

* In Rwandan, humanitarian sources report an attack over the weekend on Rushashi commune in Kigali Rural. Ten people were killed and 21 wounded. The assailants are believed to be members of the Interahamwe.

* Sudanese troops and Ugandan rebels shelled Uganda's northwestern town of Koboko over the weekend, reported the Ugandan state-owned New Vision today. One person was injured. Three shells reportedly fell on the town. Koboko is next to the Zairean border and about 12 kilometers south of the Sudanese border town of Kaya. Yesterday the New Vision reported that the Ugandan army was deploying more troops and moving in weapons to the north. Uganda accused Sudan of bombing the northern town of Moyo last month - an accusation the Sudanese government has denied. The Sudan government has accused Uganda of supporting the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army.

* NOTE: We would like to remind you that IRIN updates are being translated into French on a trial basis. If you wish to receive the French version you can subscribe at <francais@dha.unon.org>. Thank you.

Nous souhaiterions vous rappeler que les "IRIN Updates" sont maintenant traduits en francais, pour une periode test, ceux qui le desirent peuvent s'abonner en contactant <francais@dha.unon.org>. Merci

Nairobi, 4 March 1997, 18:35 GMT

[ENDS]

[Via the UN DHA Integrated Regional Information Network. The material contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. UN DHA IRIN Tel: +254 2 622123 Fax: +254 2 622129 e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org for more information. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.]

Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 18:42:29 +0300 From: UN DHA IRIN - Great Lakes <irin@dha.unon.org> Subject: Great Lakes: IRIN Update 116 for 4 Mar 1997 97.3.4 Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970304183628.26200B-100000@dha.unon.org>

Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D

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