On Eve of Summit Rebels Take Town, Force Congolese Out

By Ben Turner
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KIWANJA, DR Congo – On the eve of a regional summit addressing the violent crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo, rebels disobeyed a ceasefire and took control of another town in eastern DC Congo on November 6. 

After government forces fled, National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) rebels seized control of the center of Nyanzale, an important army base in the Nord-Kivu province, said UN spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich.  The renewed violence in Kiwanja drove 35,000 Congolese from their homes.  Many fled to the nearby town of Rutshuru or to a nearby UN peacekeepers base. 

The fighting comes as regional leaders and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon head to Nairobi, Kenya for an emergency summit on the crisis.  The rebels, led by renegade Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda, now control most of the Nord-Kivu province in eastern DR Congo.  Congolese Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito said on November 5 that he was “ready to listen, to receive the grievances of other groups... including those of the CNDP.”

The capture of Kiwanja is a fresh blow to Congolese President Joseph Kabila’s government, whose forces seem to be unable to defend the Nord-Kivu province which borders Rwanda.  Dietrich said the government forces had evacuated their headquarters in the region and that the rebels had thus violated the ceasefire they unilaterally imposed on October 29. 

The rebels blamed the government forces fighting alongside Rwandan Hutu FDLR rebels for the latest fighting. 

“We didn't respond at first but then they came back at us. We were obliged to respond and clear them out,” said rebel spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa.  “Our intention is not to take territory, but to say to the government that they must negotiate,” he added.

Bisimwa said the rebels expect nothing from Friday’s summit. 

“What we want is a meeting between Congolese – the CNDP and the government of Kinshasa must meet to negotiate peace,” Bisimwa told AFP by telephone.

For more information, please see:

AFP – DR Congo Rebels Take Town in New Offensive – 6 November 2008

BBC – Rebels Force Congolese From Town – 6 November 2008

The Monitor (republished on Allafrica.com) – Uganga: LRA Attacks in DRC – 6 November 2008

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation – Rebels Force Congolese From Town – 6 November 2008

BBC – Congo Eyewitness: ‘I Saw Them Die’ - 4 November 2008

Impunity Watch - Aid Agencies Struggle to Provide Services to Congo Refugees, Even Amid Cease-Fire – 31 October 2008