The question then is: why would Rwanda engage in the Transportation of "Dry grass" into DRC Congo? For what purpose?
MK CONGO-DEM.REPUBLIC 5/5/2004 16:35 GOMA: CHAOS AND SHOTS FIRED ON ARRIVAL OF æUSPECTED?RWANDAN TRUCKS General, Standard Tension rose this morning in Goma, city of east Democratic Republic of Congo along the border with Rwanda, on the arrival of some suspected trucks from the bordering nation apparently transporting large quantities of dry grass, probably pyrethrum (a medicinal plant). MISNA sources referred that when the vehicles ?seven or eight according to witnesses ?reached the city centre, at around 10:00a.m. local time, dozens of people took the streets and attempted to stop them, on suspicion that they were transporting weapons directed to armed groups still active in North Kivu. Numerous students joined the protests, setting up actual road blocks. Based on concordant testimonies, Rwandan soldiers immediately intervened, attempting to disperse the crowd with sticks. Then also Congolese soldiers intervened, but only after the æithdrawal?of the Rwandans back into their territory, firing shots in the air to disperse the protesters. For the moment there are no reports of injuries, though it is too soon for a definitive toll. Also troops of the MONUC (UN peace mission in DR-Congo) arrived on the scene, but did not however individuate any arms provisions. After midday the situation gradually returned to normality, though the cityæ large main open-air Virunga market, was deserted at a time in which it is usually very crowded. A MISNA source referred that it is the first time that a truck convoy transporting ærass?from Rwanda passes through Goma. Todayæ reaction comes in an atmosphere of growing tension over the past days between the governments of Kigali and DR-Congo. Local associations and organisations of North and South Kivu recently wrote to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, calling for the æorced?repatriation of all foreign armed groups still present in east ex-Zaire, hiding grounds also of various thousands of former Rwandan armed forces soldiers, accused by Kigali of responsibility in the 1994 genocide. [BO]
