UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
July 25, 2003
Posted to the web July 25, 2003
Nairobi
The UN on Friday denounced the trafficking of arms in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following the seizure of a cache of munitions in Beni on Thursday by the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Kisangani/Mouvement de liberation (RCD-K/ML), who turned them over to the UN Mission in the DRC, known as MONUC.
MONUC said it would transport the munitions to Lubero, some 50 km south of Beni, where they would be destroyed.
An inquiry into the trafficking has been opened, with MONUC reporting that preliminary information indicated that the weapons were destined for armed groups in Ituri District.
The materiel was found on board of an aircraft belonging to a private company based in Butembo. The aircraft, which was transporting seven men in military uniform and two civilians, left Aru on 20 July bound for Mongbwalu, about 50 km northwest of Bunia, the main town of Ituri, but was forced to land in Beni for reasons that have yet to be established.
MONUC said the arms trafficking was a "flagrant violation" of UN Security Council resolution 1484 requiring that all parties "refrain from any military activity or from any activity that could further destabilise the situation in Ituri". [For resolution 1484 in its entirely, go to http://ods-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N03/377/68/PDF/N0337768.pdf?OpenElement]
In another development, the BBC , quoting local sources in Ituri, is reporting that has been fresh massacre of up to 50 people in DRC region of Largo. Some other sources are putting the figure to up to 100 . Tune on to the BBC if you can.
Like I did point out yesterday, there can be no peace in Ituri region so long as warlord Yoweri Museveni Kaguta of Uganda continues to illegally supply weapons ( contrary to UN resolution 1484) to the many tribal rebel groups (specifically the Lendu in DRc Congo) and use the Lendu to fight NRM proxy wars with Rwanda.
Matek
