DATE=6/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250267
TITLE=SUDAN/CONGO (L ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: REBELS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO HAVE
ACCUSED SUDAN (SATURDAY) OF AIDING AN AIR RAID AGAINST TERRITORY
THEY CONTROL -- KILLING AT LEAST 24 PEOPLE AND WOUNDING 19
OTHERS. RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM NAIROBI THAT SUDAN INSISTS IT
IS NOT GIVING DIRECT SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT IN CONGO-KINSHASA
IN ITS TEN-MONTH-OLD CIVIL WAR.
TEXT: REBEL LEADERS IN CONGO-KINSHASA SAY A SUDANESE PLANE
DROPPED SIX BOMBS EARLIER THIS WEEK ON CONGO TOWNS WHICH THEY
CONTROL. THE REBELS SAY THE BOMBS WERE DROPPED FROM
HIGH-ALTITUDES AND THAT MOST OF THE VICTIMS WERE CIVILIANS WHO
LIVED ABOUT 300 KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF KISINGANI.
THE REBELS ACCUSED SUDAN OF SUPPLYING THE PLANE TO
CONGO-KINSHASA'S PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA.
SUDAN SAYS IT HAS NO DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONFLICT IN
CONGO-KINSHASA, BUT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT DOES, AT TIMES,
RECEIVE SUPPLIES FROM CONGO-KINSHASA'S ALLIES: ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA
AND NAMIBIA.
THE CONFLICT IN CONGO-KINSHASA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN AFRICA,
INVOLVING AT LEAST SEVEN NATIONS. ANGOLA, NAMIBIA AND ZIMBABWE
ALL HAVE SOLDIERS, TANKS AND PLANES IN CONGO-KINSHASA TO SUPPORT
PRESIDENT KABILA'S GOVERNMENT. CONGOLESE REBELS -- SUPPORTED BY
RWANDA, UGANDA AND BURUNDI -- BEGAN THEIR CAMPAIGN IN AUGUST OF
LAST YEAR TO OUST PRESIDENT KABILA. THEY SAY MR. KABILA'S
GOVERNMENT IS CORRUPT AND FOSTERS ETHNIC TENSION.
LATE LAST MONTH, RWANDA ANNOUNCED ITS SUPPORT FOR A CEASEFIRE TO
BOLSTER ON-GOING DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO SOLVE THE CONFLICT.
BUT ON SATURDAY, THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ACCUSED RWANDA OF
BREAKING THE CEASEFIRE IT INITIATED. MILITARY OFFICIALS IN
ZIMBABWE SAY RWANDA HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ITS
ATTACKS AGAINST THE CONGO-KINSHASA GOVERNMENT SINCE DECLARING THE
CEASEFIRE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/DW/JO
05-Jun-99 10:14 AM EDT (1414 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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