United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Monuc
9 January 2008
At its weekly press conference of 9 January 2008, MONUC said that its military operations in the DRC remain dominated by stabilisation operations in North Kivu, and in security support for the Kivu's conference on peace, security and development in Goma.
In North and South Kivu, the security situation continues to improve with the reinforcement of the mobile operational bases of Minova and Kalehe as well as the progressive installation of MONUC forces in Ngungu, Rwindi, Tongo, Kalengera and Nyanzale.
Furthermore, MONUC military engineers have begun the important work of rehabilitation of the Goma-Sake-Masisi road axis, in particular on the ten most damaged kilometres.
On 5 January 2008, the North-Kivu brigade based in Kitchanga (65 km northwest of Goma), received information of clashes between the forces of Laurent Nkunda and Maï Maï/FDLR in Kashuga (17km northeast of Mweso).
The clashes lasted approximately an hour and half. After putting up some resistance, the Maï Maï/FDLR deserted their positions and fled. The civilian population also evacuated their village for the forest, and no victims were reported.
On 8 January 2008, MONUC troops went to Kabaya, close to Rumangabo (47 km from Goma) to investigate the murder of civilians at Nkokwe (10km east of Rumangabo) in Rutshuru territory.
The local population declared that eight civilians were killed with one person missing in Musezero (2km north of Nkokwe) on 2 January 2008. Three children were reported among the victims, all of whom were Hutu, whose bodies were buried in the same village the following day. At least eight of the corpses were recovered by the National Congolese Police (PNC).
According to reports, these 11 people were in the village of Musezero (50km north of Goma) on the morning of 2 January 2008. At that time, witnesses indicated the presence of men in military unifrom speaking Kiswahili. According to reports, the incident might have occurred when the civilians went to Musezero to collect foodstuffs.
At this point, a patrol of the 2nd integrated brigade of the FARDC would have immediately started to summarily shoot at the civilians suspected of collaborating with Laurent Nkunda's rebels. The incident was reported to the PNC in Kabaya for further investigation.
A MONUC human rights team which went to the area was not authorised to carry out an investigation among the local population, probably under the order of the 2nd integrated Brigade of the FARDC. Musezero village is located between FARDC positions and Nkunda's CNDP positions, which patrol in the zone. MONUC continues its investigation.
In addition, on 3 January last, a source indicated to MONUC's North-Kivu brigade that four civilians were removed by men of Laurent Kunda in Rumangabo.
Meanwhile in Ituri, the progressive return of residents to the zones of Lalo and Tchei was disturbed this week by exactions, in two villages, of the recalcitrant elements of the armed groups.
In liaison with the FARDC, MONUC forces took the initiative to deploy mobile operational bases in an attempt to complete the long-term pacification of Ituri.
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