From Carl soon to be leaving Kinshasa

Growing fears of a showdown between government troops and Rwandan Hutu rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have halted the return of tens of thousands of displaced persons to their homes in western Rutshuru and northern Masisi territories, OCHA information officer Andrew Zadel yesterday. Heavy shelling was reported in Kwenda river valley this morning, so some civilians have stared fleeing to Kiwanja where more others have been camping for more than a year now. Other IDPs are observed around lake Edward where Bravo mixed brigade attacked Mai Mai positions in Nyakakoma and Nyamitwitwi. As stated in my previous report, the Rutshuru valley is space to avoid when flying to the north.

The recruitment of child soldiers has continued in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite the government's efforts to integrate former militia into the army, a local human rights official has said. This finding has been confirmed by the United Nations Mission in the Congo, known as MONUC, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and some international NGOs concerned with child welfare. "The integrated brigades contain 257 children, namely 85 with Alpha Brigade, 95 with the Bravo Brigade and 77 with the Charlie Brigade. These figures are based on estimates by inspectors at the time the records were taken and not from official documents. Moreover, the figure for the Bravo Brigade included 35 children and an estimate of 60 for a battalion that they could not check."

The Bunia military court sentenced 15 soldiers to life imprisonment and a fine of $315, 000 each ; they were alleged to have massacred 30 civilians in Bavi (Ituri district) when a mass grave was discovered by UN Human Rights department. Four others were sentenced to life emprisonment for war crimes. In fact they were found guilty of murdering two UN peacekeepers in Mongwalu area in 2003.