From Carl in K-Town

Highlighting that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to pose "a threat to international peace and security in the region," the Security Council yesterday extended the UN mission in the impoverished DRC for another two months. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Congolese authorities to focus on security sector reform and tighten up legislation covering business practices relating to diamond and other minerals to avoid funding armed groups.

The Democratic Republic of Congo faces disaster if United Nations peacekeepers are withdrawn too soon, international aid agency Oxfam warned on Friday. "Without a substantial and effective MONUC presence, the security situation -- which is currently fairly stable -- could soon unravel," Juliette Prodhan, head of Oxfam in the DRC, told Xinhua news agency in Nairobi

When a significant step is made toward democracy by electing 10/11 governors all over the DRC, one minister of the current cabinet resigned before reporting himself. His resignation letter was presented by his party president. Later on three individuals showed up under the same name of Kasongo Ilunga based in Kinshasa, Kalemie and Lubumbashi respectively.

In an effort to pacify the town of Goma, the army has collected more than five hundred weapons in less than a month. The collection started mid January when army officials noticed that some officers preferred to hide in Goma with bodyguards involved in various blunders. All the officers without posts have been ordered to go to Kamina for proper integration.

Security is a major concern in the Grand Nord as well where a Belgian building contractor and farmer (Claude Duvigneaud or Duvignon) was killed at his residence yesterday night together with his guards. Nothing was stolen except his computer laptop.