• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251761
TITLE=CONGO FIGHTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LAWRENCE BARTLETT
DATELINE=HARARE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ZIMBABWE'S DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS SOUTHERN AFRICAN FORCES 
SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT IN CONGO-KINSHASA HAVE COME UNDER FIRE 
THREE TIMES SINCE THE SIGNING OF A CEASE-FIRE IN LUSAKA ON 
SATURDAY. LAWRENCE BARTLETT REPORTS FROM HARARE.
TEXT:   A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEFENSE MINISTRY SAID CEASE-FIRE 
VIOLATIONS HAD OCCURRED MONDAY AT THREE POINTS IN THE EAST OF 
CONGO-KINSHASA -- AT KABINDA, IKELA AND DJIMBA.
HE SAID THE SOUTHERN AFRICANS RETURNED FIRE IN SELF-DEFENSE 
AGAINST MACHINE-GUN AND LIGHT ARMS ATTACKS ON IKELA AND DJIMBA, 
BUT DID  NOT  RESPOND TO A MORTAR BOMBARDMENT ON KABINDA.
ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA AND NAMIBIA HAVE THOUSANDS OF TROOPS IN 
CONGO-KINSHASA IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA, WHILE 
REBELS TRYING TO TOPPLE HIM ARE BACKED BY UGANDA AND RWANDA.
ALL SIX GOVERNMENTS INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT SIGNED A CEASE-FIRE 
AGREEMENT IN THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL LUSAKA SATURDAY, BUT IT WAS  NOT
SIGNED BY THE REBELS BECAUSE OF A LEADERSHIP DISPUTE.  //OPT// 
THE CEASE-FIRE WAS DUE TO COME INTO EFFECT SUNDAY NIGHT, 24-HOURS
AFTER IT WAS SIGNED. //END OPT//
THE ZIMBABWEAN MILITARY SPOKESMAN SAID PRESIDENT KABILA AND HIS 
ALLIES ARE COMMITTED TO THE "LETTER AND SPIRIT" OF THE CEASE-FIRE
AGREEMENT, AND URGED ALL OTHERS TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT AND COMPLY 
WITH THE PEACE PACT. 
THE CEASE-FIRE IS TO BE MONITORED BY A JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION 
MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL WARRING PARTIES, UNTIL THE 
DEPLOYMENT OF A UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING FORCE.
THE COMMISSION HAS  NOT  YET BEEN ESTABLISHED, HOWEVER, AND 
OBSERVERS SAY THE EARLY STAGES OF THE CEASE-FIRE ARE BOUND TO BE 
SHAKY UNTIL ALL MONITORING MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE.
// REST OPT//  ADDING TO THE UNCERTAINTY IS THE FACT THAT THE 
REBELS HAVE YET TO SIGN THE PEACE DEAL -- ALTHOUGH THE MAIN 
MEDIATOR IN THE CONFLICT, ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT FREDERICK CHILUBA, 
HAS EXPRESSED OPTIMISM THAT THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED SOON. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/LB/PCF
14-Jul-99 12:05 PM EDT (1605 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.