Congo: Fighting Erupts in Kinshasa

by Jordan Yerman | March 23, 2007 at 08:33 am

296 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

When political contenders have private armies, there is a fine line between election and coup. The flashpoint for this conflict was President Kabila's demand that Senator Bemba's private security contingent be replaced with members of the police department. Whilst Bemba is free from prosecution while he remains in office, he would not be free from armed reprisals stemming from the pre-election conflicts.

[q
url="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=302852&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/"]Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) authorities charged opposition leader
Jean-Pierre Bemba with "high treason" Friday on a second day of clashes
which reports said had killed at least seven people.

The former vice-president, who was defeated in historic presidential
elections last year, sought refuge in the South African embassy late on
Thursday after heavy fighting broke out between members of his personal
bodyguard and government troops in the capital Kinshasa.

"The judicial authorities ... have issued an arrest warrant for high
treason against Jean-Pierre Bemba," government spokesperson Toussaint
Tshilombo Send told Agence France-Press (AFP).

"Bemba committed treason in using the armed forces for his own ends," the spokesman said.

[/q]

This battle began the other day:

Gunfire and explosions rocked the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, yesterday as armed followers of Jean Pierre Bemba, a former vice president and rebel leader, clashed with government troops.

The sound of machinegun fire, followed by that of rocket-propelled grenades, could be heard around the Supreme Court, near Bemba's home. Residents fled and the government ordered schools and ministries closed.

The shooting broke out after the personal militia of defeated presidential contender Bemba defied a government order last week to disband. The Government had given a March 15 deadline to Bemba and another former vice president, Azarias Ruberwa, to surrender their security personnel and replace them with policemen.

"Bemba's safety cannot be guaranteed by 12 policemen. We are ready for a compromise, but the other side has to make an effort," said Thomas Luhaka, a senior aide of Bemba.

And, once again, the homes of innocent people are destroyed by the mortars and grenades of those vying for power.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon