Carl has been sending these and I have not posted them all.

Salient issues in the past few weeks included:

The DRC insituted a crackdown against private militias under the control of a favorite of both Stan and me, Mssr. Bemba. Bemba once started a minor shooting war over cellular phones while Stan and I watched. This crack down precipitated a fracas as described below. The author is not a native English speaker and the prose is a bit rough. Nevertheless is does convey life in the Congo. Gombe is the central part of Kinshasa where Stan and I lived and worked. Ndolo is the airport in the center of Kinshasa where the small carriers generally base from.

Hi Carl,
Very happy to hear about you. Shootings started on thursday 22 at around 10:30, we thought as usual the situation could be controlled after few hours. so we did not move from the office, we continued working. Good enough we had asked the pilots living at Lilas to move before 9:00, and it was done. hootings continued the whole day long and as you can see our area, we were surrounded by the soldiers from the camp, and those from Haut commandement street ( the street of wimbi dira) and it was difficult to go out. so we remained in the office till late and we finally decided to leave despite shootings. God helped, we reached our homes safely. Bemba's guys resisted the whole thursday and as the army used heavy machine guns the whole night, they were weakened and left Gombe for the city. Many people were supporting them on their way, they could only drink beer wherever they found it, and their target was the national police and the regular army oldiers and even the private security guards committed to the president Kabila. Down the city, the regular police could not face them, they all run away leaving behind their uniforms, boots, and even guns. They left the
communes and the containers empty. so Bemba's guys went up to Ndolo airport which was very open because all the soldiers living there run away. They went to our hungar as they thought some soldiers might have hidden their in. But there was only two of our guards, They started shooting inside the hangar, at least 15 bullets, they destroy the wall and one door. God is good, our guards were not hurt, not even the planes. So they asked them to open the gate and they did. they asked if Kabila's soldiers were inside and they also asked about their tribes; good for them because the two were from equateur (Bemba's province) and they said to them, we can not kill you bcs
you are our brothers and they left. I suppose that if they were from the East of the country, it could be another story.
We think that it is not the end because those guys left and we don't know exactly were they are for the moment. It seems some have crossed the river to Brazzaville, some are still in Kinshasa. After all something may happen. but the regular army is determined to finish with them.
OCHA/DRC
Humanitarian SitRep : Kinshasa
22-27 March 2007
1. Context
On 22 March, 2007, fighting erupted between Government forces and the DPP (armed
elements loyal to former VP Bemba) in the Gombe area of Kinshasa. Tensions had been on
the rise in recent weeks as a result of Bemba’s defiance of a Government order for the DPP
to disarm and present for “brassage”.
Clashes were intense in the city centre (Gombe), with heavy weaponry being used on both
sides including heavy shelling and continuous gunfire. The fighting gradually progressed
towards other neighbourhoods including Barumbu, Kinshasa, Lingwala, Limete and Lakamu.
By 24th March, Government forces had regained control of the city, and DPP elements were
surrendering to MONUC at various locations around the city. However, the axis Ndolo –
Beach area remains unstable.
2. Current Situation
As of 27 March, evaluation and assistance activities of various humanitarian organisations
continue throughout the city. To date, the available facts and figures are as follows:
- Official casualty figures have yet to be released by the Government. Humanitarian
actors providing assistance in the different medical facilities report the following
estimates: 36 deaths registered in 4 hospitals in the city; 172 others registered at the
municipal morgue; 12 other bodies were found yesterday at Kinsuka. A further 147
individuals are registered at these same hospitals with combat-related injuries.
- 200 DPP elements have surrendered to MONUC. By agreement with the
Government, MONUC is providing safe haven to 100 of these elements and 260
women and children family members.
- Although damages are still being assessed, no major destruction affected health
centres, water facilities, power plants, educational structures or other essential public
service infrastructure.
3. Protection concerns
Humanitarian organizations are monitoring a number of protection-related issues and
situations including:
- families and dependents of captured/surrendered DPPs,
- treatment by authorities of arrested street-children,
- suspected risk of sexual violence and human rights abuses, and
- the alleged exactions and arbitrary executions taking place in the city and in
retaliation of DPP supporters
4. Humanitarian Evaluations and Assistance
Given the nature of the armed confrontations, the main concern in terms of emergency
needs were those regarding the capacity of health facilities and appropriate medical
treatment for the wounded. The following is a list of activities that have taken place to date,
under the general coordination of the Ministry of Health:
- Caritas:
o Evaluation of all hospitals in Gombe as well as the Morgue
o Distribution of 300 litres of formol, antibiotics, disinfectants,
o Distribution of food rations for 1000 individuals,
o Caritas is planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs,
to make a further distribution of medical kits, surgical equipment and further
food rations.
o Finally, they expect to deliver 250 coffins and 2 sheets per injured
- WHO:
o Distribution of 3 tonnes of essential drugs and surgical materials
o Distribution of 400 rolls of plaster and 100 sheets
- ICRC and MSF:
o Both organizations divided themselves the hospitals in the city in order to
evaluate casualties and provide assistance
o Assistance included surgical support, provision of surgical equipment,
medicines, antibiotic, plastic bags, etc
- UNICEF: UNICEF has been evaluating the situation of street-children and that of the
minor dependents of DPP elements currently sheltered by MONUC.
5. Issues to Watch
- DPP arms have reportedly fallen into the hands of street children (shegué), raising
concerns about the presence of uncontrolled arms in the city;
- There are fears of reprisals by governmental forces against alleged DPP supporters
and sympathisers.
- There is a high potential for exacerbation of ethnic tensions (lingalophones vs.
swahiliphones)
Since the end of this fighting Bemba was held up in the South African Embassy. He was escorted from the embassy and is now in exile in Portugal.
But the good news is that Belgian Foreign Minister has called for a reform of the DRC's armed forces so that further incidents will be avoided.


And if you believe that last part, I have water front property in Gombe I want to sell you.

Tom