DATE=5/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249469
TITLE=CONGO REBELS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: REBELS IN CONGO-KINSHASA DISSOLVED THEIR LEADERSHIP AT A
MEETING MONDAY IN THE EASTERN TOWN OF GOMA. TODD PITMAN REPORTS
(FROM KIGALI), THE REBEL MOVEMENT PLANS TO NAME NEW LEADERS LATER
IN THE DAY.
TEXT: LEADERS OF THE MAIN REBEL CONGOLESE RALLY FOR DEMOCRACY --
OR R-C-D -- MADE THE CHANGES AT A CLOSED-DOOR MEETING AT THEIR
HEADQUARTERS IN GOMA.
THE CHANGES EFFECTIVELY REMOVE ERNEST WAMBA DIA WAMBA FROM THE
PRESIDENCY OF THE R-C-D, WHICH WAS FORMED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE
REBELLION BEGAN LAST AUGUST.
MR. WAMBA IS IN GOMA BUT SAYS HE WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE MEETING
AND HEARD THE NEWS ON THE RADIO. HE SAYS ONLY THAT THE R-C-D'S
147-MEMBER GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS THE RIGHT TO DISSOLVE THE
MOVEMENT'S LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES.
BUT THE NEWS DOES NOT COME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE. THE R-C-D
HAS BEEN BESET BY INTERNAL POWER STRUGGLES SINCE LATE LAST YEAR,
SOME OF WHICH PIT VETERAN POLITICIANS WHO WORKED FOR YEARS IN THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZAIRIAN LEADER MOBUTU SESE SEKO AGAINST RELATIVE
NEWCOMERS TO THE CONGOLESE POLITICAL SCENE.
MR. WAMBA HAD RECENTLY SHIFTED HIS BASE TO THE NORTHERN CITY OF
KISANGANI, WHERE UGANDAN TROOPS BACKING THE REBELS HAVE THEIR
MAIN BASE. BUT MANY R-C-D OFFICIALS STAYED BEHIND IN GOMA, JUST
ACROSS THE BORDER FROM RWANDA.
THE REBELS HAVE ALSO DIFFERED ON HOW TO TAKE THE NINE-MONTH
REBELLION FORWARD, AND WIN OVER POPULATIONS IN THE VAST
TERRITORIES THEY ALREADY CONTROL.
IN THE EAST, WHERE THE REBELLION BEGAN, THE REBELS HAVE LITTLE
POPULARITY AMONG LOCAL RESIDENTS, WHO BELIEVE RWANDAN TROOPS --
NOT CONGOLESE SOLDIERS -- ARE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE
REVOLT. (SIGNED)
NEB/TP/JWH/WTW
17-May-99 11:44 AM EDT (1544 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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