Thousands flee Congo town

[struggle4progress]

MORE than 2000 people have fled into neighbouring Burundi from an eastern Congo city, fearing reprisal attacks after government troops retook the city from renegade soldiers, a UN spokesman said today.
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"There was no shooting, but we feared the worst might come as our neighbours started accusing us of being accomplices" of the insurgents, said Susan Singiza, who fled with her eight children to a UN camp in Burundi.
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The renegades' surprise capture of the city posed the biggest military setback yet for Congo's transition government, which took power last year after the country's 1998-2002 war. The capture was condemned internationally, and the last renegade forces withdrew yesterday after UN mediation and a final round of fighting.
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Government officials, including a new governor for the Bukavu's South Kivu region, were flying today to the city from Congo's western capital of Kinshasa.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9810715%5E1702,00.html

[gottaB]

1. HRW: War Crimes in Bukavu

"Commanders say they acted to protect civilians, but instead their soldiers have raped and killed."

War Crimes in Bukavu

Here are the recommendations from the briefing:

• To the DRC transitional government: Investigate immediately war crimes and other violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed in eastern DRC - some of which have been documented in this briefing note - and bring to account, in accordance with international standards of justice, those found to be responsible. Seek international assistance and expertise for this effort, including possibly from the International Criminal Court, if required.
  
• To MONUC:Complete as rapidly as possible the MONUC human rights investigation of these incidents and publish the results. Urgently review MONUC’s rules of engagement in DRC to ensure a broad interpretation of its Chapter VII mandate to protect civilians and contribute to the improvement of security conditions.
  
• To members of the UN Security Council:Increase the number of MONUC troops in DRC when the MONUC mandate is reviewed in July 2004. Urge all States, in particular those in the region, to refrain from supporting armed groups in eastern DRC as required by UN Security Council Resolution 1493 which states that no assistance, advice, training or arms should be given to any armed groups operating in North or South Kivu and Ituri.
  
• To the UN members states, Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), and international donors:Provide more ground troops to MONUC rather than just officers in select positions and increase logistical support to MONUC including air surveillance capabilities. Provide technical and financial support for the transitional government to carry out investigations into war crimes committed in Bukavu including support for a mobile investigative team if appropriate to bring to justice those responsible and break the culture of impunity. Increase technical support and financing to MONUC for its information gathering and analysis operations.
  
• To the unified national army, RCD-Goma and all other former rebel groups:Exercise greater control and discipline over armed elements and demonstrate full commitment to the transitional process agreed at the Inter-Congolese Dialogue in December 2002 and fully respect international humanitarian law. Screen soldiers set to join the newly integrated army to ensure that no on who is apparently implicated in serious violations of international humanitarian law is included in the new army.
  
• To the Congolese government, MONUC and UNHCR:Facilitate the voluntary return in safety and dignity of Banyamulenge and other Congolese refugees in Rwanda as soon as security conditions permit.
  

[struggle4progress]

2. Thanks! HRW is great!