OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kigali | Tuesday 10.00PM.
THE Democratic Republic of Congo government in Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of “invading” DRC, and has subsequently said on national television that it is preparing a “vigorous riposte” against Rwanda for attacking its territory.
A United Nations source in Kinshasa has also said that Rwandan forces were seen crossing into eastern DRC at Goma on Tuesday morning and are taking part in the rebellion there. The report has not been confirmed from any other source, and the Rwandan army has denied any involvement.
The rebellion against DRC President Laurent Kabila, led by Congolese Tutsi factions of the DRC military, has spread along DRC’s eastern border, which it shares with Rwanda, and rebels are reported to be in control of the towns of Bokavu and Goma, with fighting reported in Kisanjani and at Uvira on Lake Tanganyika, across from Burundi. A group of rebels is also holed up in Kinshasa itself.
A group of “unidentified pirates” earlier hijacked a Congo Airlines plane out of Goma, forcing it to land at Kitona an the south-west, near the Angolan border. There are reported to be 20000 of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko’s men in a barracks at Kitona, there for re-training – by Congolese Tutsis – and integration into the Congolese army. Fighting was reported at Kitona on Tuesday evening.
The border with Burundi remains closed, but the Rwandan border is open, and refugees are reported to be crossing into Rwanda.
Meanwhile seven southern and central African nations are due to meet at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe at the weekend for a one-day summit to discuss the situation in the Great Lakes region. The presidents of Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Namibia are expected to attend, with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe hosting the conference.