Posted on 12/03/2004 11:44:19 PM PST by Cutterjohnmhb
United Nations observers have sighted about 100 Rwandan troops inside the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Thousands of civilians have reportedly begun to flee the area.
The Congolese say more than 6,000 Rwandans have crossed the border and are attacking and burning villages.
From the eastern town of Beni, Congolese regional cooperation minister Mbusa Nyamwisi said villages were being targeted nearby.
"We are being attacked by the Rwandan troops," he said.
The apparent incursion comes after threats last week by Rwanda's president Paul Kagame to send troops across the border to engage Hutu rebels inside Congolese territory.
President Kagame said any action by the Rwandan army in the DRC would only target Rwandan Hutu rebels who fled there after the 1994 genocide in his country and who he says still threaten Rwanda's security.
(Excerpt) Read more at 9.sbs.com.au ...
It *was* in control?
No....
Well if the Hutus were attacking across the border into Rwanda and the Congo failed to police them this would be totally justified.
However nothing ever seems cut and dried in Africa.
Agreed. It never is. It seems the sitting government in Congo has a rebellion on it's hands from former allies. It's reported the rebellion is backed by Rwanda and Uganda. With Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe backing the Congo. It's a tinderbox and people are playing with matches.
Love the key words. "DOCTORCONGOIPRESUME"
It's been spinning out of control for a long time
Question is .. when will it finally hit bottom and when will the UN stop turning a blind eye?
"Dr. Congo to the ER, stat!"
I dunno. I suspect never, there is to much money and power to be exploited, and a lack of will, to do nation building in the UN. So Chaos is the future.
First I presume you Jest in your implicit assumption that the UN is capable of doing anything to improve the situation even if they wanted to.
Second, as long as Someone from Africa sits in the Sec-General's chair no imporvement can be expected. I suspect we better start pushing for another Norwegian or South American or somebody who is not afraid of insulting his cousin who is running a rebal camp in some backwater part of Africa.
Why on earth do we insist on picking people from countries who can't even manage a simple hospital, let alone a country, let alone a continent, to manage the UN.
That's Dr. Bombay's brother. :)
Based on the UN's recent record, not until there's big money in it.
Well, what else are they gonna do? At least half a million were slaughtered while the world slept. Guess they're going to try to keep the Hutus away this time.
"It *was* in control?"
Apartheid?
.....Question is .. when will it finally hit bottom and when will the UN stop turning a blind eye?.....
An alternate question is....... why worry about Africa?
The situation in Eastern Congo could become serious. I live in Kigali, Rwanda and all young men with military experience are being called into special metetings all college applicants are being put through two months of military trainging. All the local feel Rwanda will definitely go in to try to clean out the former Interahamwe genocidaires and former Hutu army remnnants that are potential trouble... The Conglolese army is splintered and cannot resist the well-trained, highly disciplined, well equipped army of Rwanda. Paul Kagame has the full support of the USA and was trained partly in American military colleges,etc... The real problem is for the thousands of peasants who will be driven from their fields and homes and into the jungle or squalid refugee centers to die by the tens of thousands from cholera, typhoid, and etc... this is a sad place. But, we are preaching the Gospel and seeing lives changed!
Thank you for your post. People who do the work you do amaze me!
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