sources: Le Soir, De Standaard, NCN
October 25 1999
-The French minister of Cooperation, Charles Josselin, visited Kinshasa and talked with President Kabila. The French government supports the Lusaka peace agreement and wants to restore the cooperation with the DRC.
-The Angola government has reinforced his military presence in the border area between Angola and the DRC.
-Mayi-Mayi fighters in the East of Congo have been trained by Ugandan military.
-Congolese Minister of Interior, Gaetan Kakudji, prohibits the UN observers to go to the places of Mbandaka, Mbuji Mayi, Kananga, Matadi and Kamina. He wants them to go first to the regions that are occupied by the rebels.
October 27 1999
- The Congolese Minister of Justice, Mwenze Kongolo, visited President Museveni in Kampala, and handed him a letter of President Kabila. The aim of the meeting was to complete the peace progress.
- At the moment there are some 45 UN liaison officers in the DRC. Originally there should be 90 of them. On November 6 the mandate of the liaison officers will end.
-The USA is ready to donate $ 1 million for the work of the Joint Military Committee (JMC).
-According to the Red Cross more than hundred thousand people fled the environment of Bunia in the North East of Congo following the fightings between 2 ethnic groups, the Hima and the Lendu. Some villages have been totally destroyed.
October 29 1999
-There are reports about the murder of more than 100 people on the market of Kahungwe, a place at 40 km North from Uvira.
After clashes between the Mayi-Mayi (here operating as several groups united as FAP=Forces Armees Populaires) and the RDC rebels, the latter opened fire on the market place.
October 31 1999
-The JMC has divided the DRC in four zones, each of which presided by a military officer of a neutral African country designated by the OAU.
-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked the UN to extend the mandate of the liaison officers untill January 15 2000. He also asked autorisation for a UN mission of 500 observers (this mission is named MONUC).
-In Mbuji Mayi the leader of the human rights organisation CEFOP (Centre de Formation Populaire), Charles Mfamba, was arrested. (at some later moment he has been released)
November 1 1999
-Kabila has allowed the UN observers free access to the whole country and has given security guaranties.
-Mayor David Hannah, member of the UN mission, denied the existence of a written document to guarantee security. The aim of MONUC is to survey the cease-fire and to prepare the arrival of a UN peaceforce. The head of MONUC is the Brittish colonel James Ellery.
-The conflict parties have signed an agreement for the exchange of prisoners.
November 4 1999
The UN rapporteur for Human Rights in the DRC, Roberto Garreton, has delivered a statement in New York to the UN. He mentions serious repression in the DRC, especially in the regions occupied by the rebels. Up to now the war has asked 6000 dead, 500 disappeared persons, 1.1 million internally dispaced persons and 280.000 refugees across the borders.
November 5 1999
Kabila has appointed the Belgian Georges Forrest as director of Gecamines; he fired the Zimbabwean Billy Rautenbach from this function.
-Rebel leader Bemba terminates the peace agreement of Lusaka. He alleges that Kabila has bombarded 5 towns which are under Bemba's control in the last weeks. A few days ago Kabila should have tried to occupy the small town Dongo at the border with the CAR.
- The Congolese government mentions that thousands of UNITA- rebels have crossed the border with DRC with the intention to unite with the Congolese rebels.
-As a consequence of the fightings between the Hema and the Lenda the situation in the Ituru region (East Province) is catastrophic: OCHA (the UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs) reports more than 7000 killed and 100.000 displaced. There are also epidemics of cholera, measles and pest. In this war the Ugandese army is supporting the Hema. The region is part of the zone occupied by Uganda; it has appointed its own governor, Adele Lotsove Mugisa.
November 9 1999
-The rebels accuse Kabila of having killed about 100 civilians in NW Congo
-Information from Zimbabwe says that Jonas Savimbi, leader of UNITA, has paid a visit to Kampala and also that he has good relations with Rwanda. A UNITA general would be in Kampala to recover weapens from Bulgary for 16.000 elite troops encamped in Bas Congo. UNITA has recruted soldiers among former mobutists and Tutsis.
-The biggest rebel group RCD no longer respects Lusaka allegedly
because Kabila killed 100 civilians in NW Congo. The 2 other
rebel groups already terminated the agreement. Uganda and Rwanda
say still to obey the agreement.
The rebels of RCD have moved their military headquarter to
Kalemie.
-The Congolese Human Rights Minister Okitundu held a talk for the
Congolese TV where he listed the massacres by the rebels during
which thousands of people have been killed, a.o.:
- 24 Aug.98 : at Kasika
- 31 Dec.98 : at Makobolo
- Feb. and March 99 : at Ngweshe and Kamitunga
- recently, 100 dead at the marketplace of Kahungwe.
The international community never showed a reaction!
November 11 1999
-The UN-mission has started its investigations in the DRC. It visited the places Gbadolite, Goma, Kisangani, Bukavu and Kananga. The last-mentioned is in the hands of Kabila, the others in those of the rebels.
-The UN Security Council has not given consent for the 500 observers proposed by Kofi Annan.
-Four working groups of the JMC are now preparing the report with the most important questions to be presented at the meeting of 30 Novemer in Harare. It will concern access to humanitarian assistance, exchange of prisoners, disarmament and withdrawal of foreign troops.
-In Equateur fightings are taking place at Bekili, 80 km from Bokungu.
November 15 1999
-Kabila declares to continue the fighting against the rebels.
According to Ugandan Minister of Regional Cooperation, Amama
Mbabazi, the war is continuing at 3 fronts: The DRC army (FAC)
should have attacked the places of Basankusu, Makanza and Zongo
in the North West.
The DRC government has ordered a curfew because of infiltrations
by rebels.
November 16 1999
-The EU is ready to donate $ 1.2 million for the work of the JMC.
However, Uganda and Rwanda have withdrawn their JMC.
representatives.
November 18 1999
-The UN team is making a tour around the country and 15 observers of the OAU have been sent to some different places: Kabinda, Boende, Lisala and Kabalo.
-Kofi Annan has appointed a special envoy, the Tunesian Kamel Morjane, who must stimulate the peace process.
-A Worldbank team and some UN fund providers have visited Kinshasa. Emmanuel Mbi, leader of the mission, thinks that the Congolese government will be ready to implement the international finance system.
-The Brussels Lambert Bank has decided to retreat from the DRC because of legal insecurities. BBL is major stakeholder of the Union des Banques Congolais.
-The Mail and Guardian thinks that the UN mission in the DRC has come to late and is to little. The journal reports a.o.that Kabila has the disposal of 4 Antonov aircrafts.
-According to NCN the DRC should have Iran Scud missiles.
-The relations between the Mayi Mayi and the Interahamwe, the ex- FAR and Burundian rebels (the FDD=Focus pour la Defense de la Democratie) have been reinforced. Last time they have made attacks together in East Congo. Angolan rebel movement UNITA are fighting in Bas Congo and near Bandundu.
Nobember 23 1999
-Japan has donated $ 200 000 for the JMC. Some EU countries, Belgium, Great Brittan and France, have contributed too.
November 24 1999
-The Mayi Mayi has lost fightings in East Congo after an attack of the Ugandan camp in Butembo. In Equateur the war is continuing.
November 26 1999
-According to Uganda and Rwanda Kabila has received arms from China, India and some Arabic countries. He should have bought 6 Mig yetfighters.
-The rebels have conquered the city of Hiemo, 60km from Bokungu (Equateur).American mercenaries are supposed to fight together with the rebels near Lusambo (East-Kasai) and Kabalo (Katanga).
-The JMC starts a six day meeting in Harare.
December 2 1999
-More than thousand people are fleeing the inundation of the Congo river.
December 3 1999
-According to the rebels Kabila has conquered the city of Bokungu.
-American UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke visited some African countries, a.o. Angola, DRC, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
-The UN Security Council authorized the preparations of the 500 observer mission for the DRC. The USA is not willing to participate in a peace keeping force in the DRC.
-The UN Security Council accorded the constitution of a supporting committee for the UN envoy in the DRC, Kamel Morjane. This committee must engage with the activities on behalf of the human rights, public information, medical care, protection of the children and the administration.
December 13 1999
-The UN mission reports the deterioration since September.The DRC government has made two attacks in Equateur, where fightings take place between on the one side Ugandan military and rebels and on the other side DRC military and Zimbabwean soldiers.In South Kivu 'negative powers' (Interahamwe, ex-FAR and Mayi Mayi) should have reinforced the DRC troops. The Banyamulenge Tutsi have fled to the Plateaux.
-Holbrooke is looking for a mediator for the inter-Congolese dialogue.
-Delegations of Zimbabwe, Rwanda and the DRC should have found a solution to the conflicts near Ikela, a place in Central Congo, where Zimbabwean and Namibian are locked in by rebels. The DRC troops will withdraw from the city of Bolungu, whereupon the Zimbabwean and Namibian will have a free retreat.
-The rebel group MLC of Bemba has moved its headquarter from Gbadolite to Basankusu,the place that he reconquered last week.
December 15 1999
-Kabila has released 156 prisoners, including members of the UDPS and the PALU.
December 16 1999
-The OAU has designated a mediator for the inter-Congolese dialogue: former Botswana President Ketumile Masire. He is accepted by all parties.
December 17 1999
-Some American spokesmen, Holbrooke and Howard Wolpe, reject a US peace corps to the DRC. The US prefer a regional peacekeeping force.
December 21 1999
Under pression of Uganda and Rwanda the three rebelgroups have arrived to a common position. They will deal with Kabila by one spokesman.
-The official Congolese press agency ACP has stopped by lack of money. Recently a new private Congolese press office, the Agence de Press Associee has been established
December 23 1999
-The JMC made an appeal on all parties to participate in the regional JMC-sections. The rebels have sent no representatives to the JMC-sections of the regions Boende and Kabinda.
-Under supervision of Khadafi Museveni and Kabila have signed an agreement of normalisation of the relations in Tripoli. The meeting was assisted by the presidents Aferwerki of Eritrea and Al-Bashir of Sudan.
December 29 1999
On the occasion of Christmas the Reseau Europeen Congo has drawn up the balance sheet of the situation: 500.000 people in Kinshasa are suffering from the floodings and there are fears that malaria and diarrhea will increase. There is a great shortage of food because of the import reduction by currency measures, and also by confiscation of boats by the government. The government wants to start an offensive against the rebels via the river. The military control the river ports and fix the prices of the goods. By Matadi and Boma no supplies can be delivered. The Angolan war has now made an incursion into Congo. UNITA rebels are present in a.o. Kimpangu in Bas Congo, where they take young men as hostages. In South Kivu hundreds of Angolans have arrived, who reinforce the RCD rebels. In the two Kasai's and in Katanga also the situation is very bad. There is lack of food and water, Mbuji Mayi and Lubumbashi are deluged by refugees. In Kisangani, East Province, there is a great food shortage. The war between Hema and Lendu in Ituri has cost the lives of thousands of people; the Ugandans have mixed in the fightings in support of the Hema. Ugandan colonists have established themselves in the Virunga National Parc, the Congolese population has taken flight. Rwanda has declared South Kivu an autonomous state; the Congolese population suffers greatly under the foreign occupation and plunder of their lands by Ugandans and Rwandans.
- Holbrooke has announced that he will propose to the UN Security Council to devote the next month of January to Africa
January 4 2000
-A confidential report of the UN allegedly accuses Kabila of violation of the Lusaka agreement. The UN say to fear a blood- bath among the Tutsi.
January 5 2000
-Prominent Congolese religious leaders (catholic, protestant, islamic, kimbanguiste and orthodox) are preparing a inter- congolese consultation which should start on 24 January. In a communiquee of 28 December they invite 14 groups in the Congolese society to pronounce itself freely about the causes of the war and about possible solutions.
Januari 6 2000
-In the NW the Congolese government coalition is approaching again the city of Basankusu. There are also fightings South of Kisangani. Kabila has conquered the Opala. In Isangi, NW of Kisangani, many wounded Ugandans and Rwandans have arrived.
-In Belgium a parliamentary inquiry commission has been formed in view of the suggested involvement of the country in the murder of Lumumba in 1961
January 7 2000
-A number of African leaders (sc. of Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mocambique) have been invited to attend the UN meeting on 24 January about the Congo war. This meeting is an initiative of the American Ambassador Richard Holbrooke within the framework of the US-presidency of the UN Security Council.
chronicle 9, september 29 -october 12 1997
chronicle 10, october 13 - october 26 1997
chronicle 11, october 27 - november 9, 1997
chronicle 12, november 10 -november 23 1997
chronicle 13, november 24 -december 7 1997
chronicle 14, december 8 1997 - january 4 1998
chronicle 15, january 5 - january 18 1998
chronicle 16, january 19 - february 1 1998
chronicle 17, february 2 - february 15 1998
chronicle 18, february 16 - march 1 1998
chronicle 19, march 2 - march 15 1998
chronicle 20, march 16 - march 29 1998
chronicle 21, march 30 - april 26 1998
chronicle 22, april 27 - mei 10 1998
chronicle 23, mei 11 - mei 31 1998
chronicle 24, juni 1 - august 26 1998
chronicle 25, august 27 - september 28 1998
chronicle 26,september 29- october 31 1998
chronicle 27, november 1- december 5 1998
chronicle 28, december 6 - january 24 1999
chronicle 29, january 25 - march 14 1999
chronicle 30, march 15 - may 9 1999
chronicle 31, may 10 - october 24 1999