Congo (RDC). Guerre au Kivu - Selon un communique du SIC (Source independante du Congo) date du 28 fevrier, des troupes venant du Rwanda auraient declenche une operation militaire au Sud- Kivu.
Arrivees vers la mi-fevrier, elles auraient attaque des villages dans la collectivite de Ngweshe, dans le Bushi, brulant des maisons et tuant des gens. Elles auraient ensuite poursuivi leur marche vers l'Urega, pillant et incendiant d'autres villages.
Le 22 fevrier, elles seraient arrivees a Kamituga, et le 27 a Kitutu. Le but serait de reprendre le controle des mines de Kamituga-Lugushwa et d'infliger un coup serieux aux combattants Mai-Mai et a des groupes de miliciens hutu.
Cette strategie de la terre brulee, terrorisant la population civile, a des consequences de plus en plus dramatiques pour la population. (D'apres SIC, Bukavu, 28 fevrier 1999)
Murders and violence continue in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to information referred by our MISNA sources (which will remain anonymous), in the first two months of this year 45 civilians were murdered for no reason: of which only 22 were identified with last name and place of origin. The remaining were unfortunately not identified given that they were travellers, merchants, or ‘just’ bodies found in different circumstances, most probably destined to be buried in anonymous graves. As will inevitably be the case of the 8 bodies found along the Nshesha River, near Walungu.
The murders, our MISNA sources refer, were all committed at different times and circumstances. As for example the isolated case of a woman beaten to death in Butuza, or the multiple murder of 6 merchants of Ikoma massacred in Burhale.
There is also an elevated number of missing people, always in the territory conquered by the Congolese Democratic Coalition (RCD) and controlled by the Rwandan or Ugandan troops, with a relative Banyamulenge presence.
In fact, during the months of January and February, our MISNA sources emphazised, numerous civilians were kidnapped in Burhale, Mushinga, Lubona and Mulamba. People that disappeared without a trace. As for all the civilians captured, mainly during night raids, by armed factions of the RCD forces.
Source: Misna, Rome