Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome - (Fides Service)- Three countries in Africa’s Great Lakes region are in the grip of crisis: Democratic Congo, Burundi and Uganda. East Congo has once again been plunged into fear and violence with the arrival of Rwandan troops officially to disarm Rwandan Hutu militia groups with bases in Congo. “This is a war no one wants to see” a local source in Bukavu, South Kivu told Fides. “How can a small country like Rwanda challenge the international community sending troops to Congo, when the United Nations and major world powers have urged it to find a peaceful not a military solution to the problem of the Hutu militia” the sources told Fides. “I wonder what is behind all this and how come Rwanda can openly challenge the international community”.
Fighting continues in Kanyabayonga, north Kivu, between army and armed groups, possibly Rwandan backed RCD-Goma rebels. Referring to the fighting in Kanyabayonga, yesterday 14 December, for the first time the Congolese authorities spoke openly of “war with Rwanda”.
In Burundi a referendum on the new Constitution scheduled for 22 December (See Fides 1 October 2004) has been once again postponed for ‘logistic reasons’, according to the announcement. “Besides the political aspects of this postponement, emphasis must be given to the necessity of going beyond ethnic repartition decided by the new Constitution” a local Church source told Fides. The new Constitution envisages repartition of members of parliament on the basis of ethnic criteria: Tutsi (14% of the population) will have 40% of the seats, Hutu (85% of the population) will have 60%. “This ethnic criteria of repartition can be applied for a brief period but then it will have to be changed. But the new Constitution does not include a plan for an alternative society where ethnic origin is no longer important” the Burundian priest told Fides. “The ethnic division of the country is a false problem. It is a pretext for taking power. The main problem in Burundi is underdevelopment and a clear programme for the future. Unless these matters are addressed Burundi will never be stable” the priest concluded.
Lastly, northern Uganda devastated by the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army LRA for 19 years. A cease fire announced by the government to allow peace talks with the rebels, terminates today. According to Ugandan media the government intends to prolong the cease fire and extend the area affected. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/12/2004 righe 36 parole 476)
