AfroAmerica Network
Kindu, RD Congo
07.26.01
Fighting has intensified between the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) and the Forces d'Autodefense Populaires (FAP), also known as Mai-Mai, in Eastern Zaire. So far, Kindu the capital of Maniema and the surrounding region was spared by the recent outbreak of fighting.
Using the relative security in the region, the Rwandan Patriotic Army is coordinating with UNHCR to hunt down Rwandan Refugees who have settled in the area and to forcefully repatriate them.
On July 20, 2001, the Rwandan Patriotic Army Military operations commander of the Military Sector 97C based in Kalima township, 130 Km from Kindu received 6 delegates of UNHCR. The UNHCR has agreed to coordinate with the Local Defense Units (LDU) in the region and local and traditional leaders who graduated from RPA ideological schools in Rwanda to identify Rwandan Refugees to be repatriated.
The LDU are the infamous Rwandan Patriotic Front militia that have been accused of massacring, across Rwanda, entire families or individuals suspected of not supporting the Rwandan Patriotic Front. In early June 2000, international media and human rights groups saw tens of bodies of women, children, and men massacred in Kibungo. Bodies were dumped in the River Akagera. These massacres sent thousands of refugees across the border into Tanzania.
Most of these Rwandan refugees being identified in Eastern Congo survived the massacres by the Rwandan Patriotic Army in 1996-1997 in Eastern Zaire. Human Rights groups and independent international inquiries have confirmed that the RPA massacred more than 200,000 mostly Hutus refugees in Zairian jungles and refugees camps. These massacres were labeled "acts of genocide" by some of the inquiry commissions.
The repatriation of Rwandan Refugees is being planned while, inside Rwanda, rebels have stepped up their attacks against the Government army. Sources inside Rwanda told AfroAmerica Network that despite the capture of one rebel officer, rebels have opened new battlefronts and that clashes between the army and the rebels have become daily routine.
Meanwhile, AfroAmerica Network has confirmation that the wife of the captured officer lived in Kibumba Refugee camp until she was forcefully repatriated by the RPA in 1996. She lived with her parents and her 4 children in Cellule Keya, Secteur Nyundo, Commune Kanama until she was killed by the RPA, along with two of her children, her parents and some of her relatives in November 1997.
Regarding the RPA Colonel Ibambasi, the Rwandan Government continues to ignore the challenges from journalists and Ibambasi's relatives to show Colonel Ibambasi to the public or to journalists. "RPA seldom admits willingly his officers are killed in battle unless assassinated by RPA intelligence itself. of Dozens of RPA officers were killed in Congo or even inside Rwanda by rebels by their relatives still believe they are fighting in the Congo", an ex- RPA officer told AfroAmerica Network.
(c)AfroAmerica Network, July, 2001.
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