Democratic Republic of the Congo / Possible deterioration of security conditions in North Kivu.
KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC) March 7, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Daily press briefing by the office of the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general
On the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) is concerned about a possible deterioration of security conditions in North Kivu. The situation, however, remains calm because United Nations peacekeepers and Congolese troops are occupying positions vacated by the Rwandan rebel group FDLR during a joint DRC/Rwanda military campaign against it. The Mission continues to appeal to FDLR fighters to voluntarily join the disarmament and repatriation programme.
The UN Refugee Agency, meanwhile, says it’s finding it increasingly difficult to reach newly displaced civilians in North Kivu. A United Nations team sent there to assess the needs of IDPs had to abandon its mission yesterday for security reasons. This is because FDLR has conducted sporadic attacks in isolated areas, killing some 20 civilians. FDLR is also targeting non-governmental organizations and humanitarian relief convoys, according to UNHCR. Some 160,000 people have been displaced since the start of the year, bringing to more than 850,000 the number of displaced civilians in North Kivu.
Still on the Congo, a pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court yesterday decided to delay the confirmation of charges against former Congolese Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. The Judges have asked the Prosecutor to consider submitting an amended charge sheet. According to the Judges, the Prosecutor’s current submission appears to seek charges different from what the Prosecutor is arguing for, namely Bemba’s criminal liability as a commander.
SOURCE : United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
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