DATE=6/30/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43765
TITLE=CONGO REBELS CQ
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=LUSAKA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN ZAMBIA, PEACE TALKS ON THE CONGO CRISIS HAVE BEEN
STALLED BY AN INTERNAL CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO OF THE THREE REBEL
FACTIONS. THE TROUBLE PITS ERNEST WAMBA DIA WAMBA, THE FORMER
LEADER OF THE MAIN REBEL GROUP, AGAINST THE MEN WHO OUSTED HIM
FROM HIS POSITION LAST MAY. VOA'S JOHN PITMAN HAS MORE ON THE
DIVISIONS WITHIN THE REBELLION.
TEXT: THE ISSUE CAUSING THE DELAY HERE IN LUSAKA IS WHETHER OR
NOT THE FORMER LEADER OF THE MAIN REBEL GROUP -- THE RALLY FOR
CONGOLESE DEMOCRACY, OR R-C-D -- WILL BE ALLOWED TO SIGN THE
CEASE-FIRE.
ERNEST WAMBA DIA WAMBA WAS REMOVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE R-C-D
IN MAY AFTER HARDLINERS IN THE REBELLION DISAGREED WITH HIS OFFER
TO BEGIN DIRECT TALKS WITH PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA.
THE HARDLINERS -- LED BY CURRENT R-C-D PRESIDENT EMILE ILUNGA,
AND BACKED BY RWANDA -- SAID A CEASE-FIRE MUST BE SIGNED BEFORE
TALKS ON POLITICAL ISSUES COULD BEGIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
MR. WAMBA REPORTEDLY LEARNED OF HIS REMOVAL IN AN INTERNATIONAL
RADIO BROADCAST AND IMMEDIATELY CRIED FOUL, ACCUSING THE
HARDLINERS, BASED IN THE EASTERN CITY OF GOMA, OF OUSTING HIM IN
A COUP D'ETAT.
AFTER HIS REMOVAL, THE FORMER HISTORY PROFESSOR SET UP A NEW
HEADQUARTERS IN THE CENTRAL CONGOLESE CITY OF KISANGANI. HE
CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THAT HE IS THE LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT OF THE
R-C-D.
AS THE LEADER OF A REBEL FACTION, MR. WAMBA SAYS HE WAS INVITED
TO LUSAKA BY THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS ORGANIZING THE
TALKS. HE SAYS HE CAME TO ZAMBIA UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HE
WOULD BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND
SIGN OFF ON THE FINAL AGREEMENT.
/// OPT /// HE ALSO SAYS HE HAS THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT THE
REBELLION BASED ON AN AGREEMENT HE SIGNED WITH HIS GOMA-BASED
RIVALS IN EARLY JUNE. /// END OPT ///
HOWEVER, THIS WEEK, THE GOMA-BASED FACTION OF THE R-C-D
REPORTEDLY RAISED OBJECTIONS TO MR. WAMBA'S PRESENCE. THE FORMAL
MINISTERIAL TALKS WERE SUSPENDED TUESDAY BECAUSE OF THESE
OBJECTIONS.
HIGH-LEVEL CONSULTATIONS HAVE BEEN UNDER WAY SINCE TUESDAY
AFTERNOON, BUT IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHAT PROGRESS, IF ANY, HAS BEEN
MADE TOWARD RESOLVING THE QUESTION ABOUT MR. WAMBA'S
PARTICIPATION.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MR. WAMBA TOLD V-O-A BY TELEPHONE THAT HIS
DELEGATION HAD BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO ATTEND THE MINISTERIAL
TALKS WHEN THEY RECONVENE. HOWEVER, HE SAID HE HAD NOT
RECEIVED WORD ABOUT HIS PERSONAL STATUS.
IN A FORMAL INTERVIEW WITH V-O-A ON TUESDAY, MR. WAMBA SAID HE
DID NOT THINK THE REBELS' INTERNAL DIVISIONS SHOULD BE
DISCUSSED HERE IN LUSAKA. BUT HE ADDED HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HIS
FATE WAS BEING MANIPULATED BY MEMBERS OF THE GOMA FACTION. HE
SAID ONLY THE ZAMBIAN ORGANIZERS SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
ALTER OR CHANGE HIS STATUS, OR ASK HIM TO LEAVE.
/// WAMBA ACT ///
THE ORGANIZERS HAVE TO DECIDE THIS, BECAUSE WHAT IS SAID
IS THE ORGANIZER HAD NO COMPETENCE TO INVITE PEOPLE
THEY THINK SHOULD BE INVITED. THE SECOND ISSUE IS (THE)
INTERNAL CONFLICTS WHICH WE MAY HAVE, WHICH ARE
FUNDAMENTALLY QUESTIONS OF DEMOCRACY: ARE WE FOR
DEMOCRACY OR ARE WE FOR COUP D'ETATS?
/// END ACT ///
MR. WAMBA SAID HE WILL LEAVE LUSAKA IF HE IS ASKED TO DO SO BY
THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT HE WARNED THAT IF HE IS NOT ALLOWED
TO SIGN THE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT, IT COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS ON THE
GROUND IN CONGO WHEN THE ACCORD IS IMPLEMENTED.
THE GOMA FACTION OF THE R-C-D HAS PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE
TALKS HERE. THE FOREIGN MINISTER FROM GOMA, BIZIMA KARAHA,
REPRESENTS WHAT HE CALLS A UNIFIED REBEL FRONT AT THE MINISTERIAL
TALKS.
ON TUESDAY, MR. KARAHA BRUSHED ASIDE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE REBEL DELEGATION.
/// KARAHA ACT ///
THE LIBERATION MOVEMENT ARE REPRESENTED HERE IN ONE
DELEGATION AGAINST THE REGIME OF MR. KABILA.
/// END ACT ///
AS THE HIGH-LEVEL CONSULTATIONS CONTINUE, THERE ARE GROWING FEARS
THAT THIS SQUABBLE AMONG THE REBELS COULD DELAY THE TALKS
FURTHER. THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT IS SHUTTLING BETWEEN THE TWO
SIDES, BUT HAS NOT MADE ANY PUBLIC DECLARATIONS ABOUT THE REBEL
FEUD.
OTHER MINISTERS INVOLVED IN THE TALKS SAY THEY REMAIN HOPEFUL
THESE INTERNAL ISSUES CAN BE RESOLVED SO WORK CAN CONTINUE ON THE
DRAFT OF THE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT -- WHICH REPORTEDLY IS NEARING
COMPLETION. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/PCF/KL/RAE
30-Jun-99 9:16 AM EDT (1316 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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