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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
DRC: NGO warns of evolving instability in Manono, Katanga
NAIROBI, 8 August 2003 (IRIN) - International relief NGO GOAL has warned of evolving instability in Manono, the north-central Katanga Province of southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where six different armed groups now occupy the town.
"I share the fears of my experienced field team that Manono is becoming increasingly (and unnecessarily) unstable and the potential for violence is increasing, given the presence of so many armed groups, few of whose intentions are clear," Dr Simon Collins, GOAL-DRC country director, told IRIN on Thursday. "The ultimate losers will be, as usual, the town's population."
Collins warned that what was until two weeks ago a demilitarised town, was now occupied by four different Mayi-Mayi militia factions; a police force of about 30 men protecting the local administrator of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) former rebel movement; and a mysterious "8th Brigade" of 150 men, claiming to be members of the former Kinshasa government's army. However, inquiries have revealed that no such government brigade exists.
Collins said that after their arrival in the town on 29 July, "8th Brigade" forces ejected the RCD-Goma administrator from his home and seized the building. The administrator is now confined to a house opposite the Manono base of the UN Mission in the DRC, known as MONUC.
Collins called on MONUC to start negotiations among the armed factions to avert disaster.
"MONUC has the ability and, I believe, an obligation to intervene quickly and decisively to resolve the problem," he told IRIN.
"Manono's current predicament is an important test of MONUC's willingness and ability to address a localised problem with the potential to escalate significantly," he added.
MONUC spokesman Hamadoun Toure told IRIN that there had tension in the region for quite some time, but that 60 MONUC personnel were trying to resolve the problem.
"We are doing our best to prevent further deterioration of the situation there," he said.
Among MONUC's initiatives, he added, was the arrival on Wednesday of a pacification team from Kalemie, about 250 km northeast of Manono, to meet with Mayi-Mayi representatives. He said the MONUC team updated the militias on the current peace process, including the use of a single currency nationwide and MONUC's newly-reinforced mandate.
Toure said troops of the former Kinshasa government were asked to leave Manono for Malemba-Nkulu, some 100 km to the southwest. Also, some Mayi-Mayi elements expressed interest in taking part in MONUC's disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme, so that they could return to civilian life.
Background
Until mid-October 2002, Manono was controlled by RCD-Goma military forces. Following the fall of Uvira to the Mayi-Mayi at that time, all RCD-Goma forces were withdrawn, but an RCD-Goma administrator remained to oversee the town.
An occupation of Manono by Mayi-Mayi forces in October 2002 risked leading to a forced reoccupation by RCD-Goma forces of the town. This was averted by the signing of an agreement between the RCD-Goma and Mayi-Mayi at the MONUC base in Manono in November 2002. Mayi-Mayi forces subsequently withdrew from the town, and the RCD-Goma administrator was left to continue his work.
The situation remained calm until 4 July 2003, when Mayi-Mayi forces from Kiambi, about 60 km to the east, entered Manono peacefully and occupied the town and airstrip. The RCD-Goma administrator took refuge in a house facing the MONUC base. A negotiated settlement was reached between Mayi-Mayi commander Col Kabunde and the RCD-Goma administrator on 10 July, brokered by MONUC Sector Four Commander Col Boris Paulkov. The agreement called for the withdrawal of Mayi-Mayi forces, although the RCD-Goma administrator agreed to accept the presence of a Mayi-Mayi liaison officer who would work with him.
The situation was again calm until 30 July, when the "8th Brigade" arrived on the scene, claiming that apart from its 150 men, an additional 3,100 remained in the bush some distance from the town.
Prior to the appearance of the "8th Brigade" forces, there MONUC and the RCD-Goma administrator had invited Mayi-Mayi militias in the region to meet on 1 August at the MONUC compound in Manono, to discuss a new allocation of positions in the local administrative structure, given the existence a national peace agreement and transitional government.
On Wednesday, a fourth Mayi-Mayi force arrived in Manono.
Themes: (IRIN) Conflict
[ENDS]
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