30 October 2008
Gisenyi — While much of the criticism over the sharp escalation of violence in North Kivu has been levelled at troops loyal to renegade general Laurent Nkunda, on the night of 29 October, government troops reportedly went on the rampage in Goma.
"Last night I was in my home with my family," Stuart, a resident who fled to Gisenyi in Rwanda, told IRIN. "Government troops were shooting outside, in the street, all over the neighbourhood. They were shooting heavy guns and breaking into people's houses, and killing people, and looting; I saw them. It felt like anarchy, there was no law," he said.
"The situation is very bad. When you see Congolese people fighting other Congolese people and looting their homes it is very frightening. My family aren't safe. I couldn't bring them with me because I don't have the means, I can't afford to accommodate them if I bring them all across.
"This is very much the worst it's been in the last 10 years, even during the war, I've never been this scared," said Stuart.
There were reports of killings and other atrocities. "A family of six people was killed by soldiers, a man and his two sons were beaten and there were also cases of looting and rape," Jason Luneno, head of Goma's civil society, told IRIN.
John, another Goma resident, said he had seen soldiers "fleeing in disarray, some in tanks, some in requisitioned civilian vehicles". He also witnessed tens of thousands of displaced coming in from villages where there had been fighting.
The following day, however, the town was eerily calm and empty. "We don't know what's happened to the displaced population because everyone went their own way," said Ibrahima Coly, head of the UN Refugee Agency's Goma office.
He said some 30,000 displaced people (IDPs) had arrived the previous day at an established IDP camp in Goma but quickly fled again as panic spread across the town. "This [30 October] morning the town was deserted, shops are closed."
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
I think, there are some western media who are pro the tutsi rebels, seeing from their reporting which is purely one sided. Now they are accusing the Congolese army of rampage! a story that is totaly false, and utter lies. Shame on Gisenyi who is writing from Kigali, and not even in the front line! Having said that, what is happening in eastern Congo is a proxy war between the west and China. The west is supporting Nkunda through Rwanda to disrupt Chinese investments in the DRC. A pure selfish and greedy moves by western Corporations, and their gov'ts. The west stayed in Africa for over a Century looting and pillaging the resources of the Continent for their selfish greedy motives. Now China wants to show some developments for those resources, and what is wrong with that. This war has shown in entirity, how evil white people are!! Secondly, Africa needs to get its defense and security Doctrine clear and updated to face the challenges of the 21st Centuries hyper-Capatalists who are bent at destroying the whole continent with their greedy rush for wealth. Africa must rely on itself for its own security, national defense and safeguard of its sovereignty. Finally, security goes with economic interests. All those foreign companies fuelling conflicts in any part of the continent must be nationalized, their assets frozen, and all banned from doing bussiness on the continent, period. This way, they will be doing business responsibly. Until then, Africa can not just sit and hope that the rest of the world must help it when its own leaders are just sitting silence during such crisis as this! What a shame on the new breeds of leaders!! Stooges!
On several occasions people including myself have been saying that the Congolese army and autorities are unprofessional and are unable to ensure peace and security in the region. The media is not leflecting the accurrate picture of what is exactly going on there. The media is being used by the congolese authority also to exasibate the human catastrophy. They are encouraging people to flee, they are creating fear into the population, they are usinng the same tactics as that used in Rwanda by the Interahamwe and the Habyarimana's army during 1990-1994 war. Mr Kabila must be held accountable for this crises, he should not get away with it after all he claims to be in charge of Congo.
On several occasions people including myself have been saying that the Congolese army and autorities are unprofessional and are unable to ensure peace and security in the region. The media is not leflecting the accurrate picture of what is exactly going on there. The media is being used by the congolese authority also to exacerbate the human catastrophy. They are encouraging people to flee, they are creating fear into the population, they are usinng the same tactics as that used in Rwanda by the Interahamwe and the Habyarimana's army during 1990-1994 war. Mr Kabila must be held accountable for this crises, he should not get away with it after all he claims to be in charge of Congo.
To: Marco
I have been saddened by the events in Goma. Please note that my point about the media coverage on Congo was a request to show all aspects, all sides of the stories. Not only the side against Congo. There are bad people in Congo so is the situation in Rwanda and Uganda. Reports of government soldiers looting in Goma must be investigated thouroughly and any one found guilty punished. By the same talking, reports stating that CNDP rebels have dispersed and looted IDP camps must be investigated and appropriate legal actions taken against any person found guilty. Lasting peace in Congo will come from the sincerity of the rebels and their mentors but also their willingness to take appropriate actions to address these concerns in a way that respects other Congo nationals.
Elie.
Elie, Marco is a small-minded man! He does not see the bigger global picture of the conflict. To all Africans, note that, the white man does not see any good in the black people, and they don't give a damn whether you are from Rwanda or Congo or South Africa. You are all Africans, and that is how they see the black people. Your Ugandanness, Rwandeseness, etc are artificial identifier that means nothing to them. You are black, and Africans period. Then they treat you with that evil racism in their genes! So Africans be careful and do not confuse yourselves, and start killing one another based on some artificial creations of Europe, that I am a Rwandese, Congolese, Ugandans etc!! And this is what African leaders need to teach their nations everyday, and their children every rising sun, in schools and at homes. The west hate Africa as a continent, its people as blacks, and are envious of the natural resources the Continent has. And want the resources free of charge! Finally, Countries like Rwanda and Uganda need to be very very careful in destabilizing the region. Since, Mr Museveni of Uganda came to power, the whole of great lakes region has never seen peace. Museveni is a killer and a war monger, a war criminal who belongs to jail. During the two decades he has been in power, about over 10 million people have died in the region from Southern Sudan, Northern Uganda Rwanda, Burundi, and DRC!! The Kagames are his war students, and by extension General Nkunda. Unless DR Congo and the region deals with Uganda and Rwanda very decisively, the whole of the Great Lakes region will not see peace, and innocent people will keep dying. And as I speak, Kampala and major Uganda Cities have become the headquarters of organized crimal syndicates from Europe, south America, North America and Asia. Loots from DR Congo is ferried through Entebbe International airports as classified goods that do not undergo customs checkings, and are parked at the Military base section! So Mr Marco, do not talk because you have the mouth! talk facts, and be broad minded in your discussions. Narrow-mindedness is a sickness!!
Look, You have nothing to loose but much to gain by continue the struggle. GOD is the one who created the African Continent for the black man. When one says the word Africa, only the black man comes to mind. So it is up to us to use wisdom. Where is Joseph Kabila? Is he done with the Zimbabwe crisis meeting? You must understand, it seems those African leaders educated in Russia have difficulty fighting for their own people. Joe Congo (NO DISRESPECT) AGAIN OUR PEOPLE ARE IN DIRE STRAIGHTS, you're on the hot seat, step up and bring some order and sanity to your people. Don't embarrass us like this, don't continue this onslaught of our people. African leaders are grown men NOT LITTLE BOYS. Africa must be set free of this violence, it's not that hard to do if that is what you really want.
u said (I see the AFRICAN CONTINENT AS THE WORLD'S SUPER POWER ONE DAY). nice dream ,but will never happen if we contineue to behave like little children with crayons. i mean the white have used our great diversity as a race to create hatred among us. more and more with the sly race mixing and immigrations around the world the black race is changing face and this is already taking its toll on the original black people. look at the arabised blacks in ethiopia,sudan, Mauritania enslavment and genocide of true black africans .every generation of blacks in the west particularly america and brazil is being more and more mixed and hating original black africans .most black americans dont want to hear a single word about africa much less unity. but u cant blame them for felling so inferior about their race since from slavery to freedom their african culture has been erased from them and without culture in this rapidly changing world u will take up any culture. but i am shocked to hear even africans are now bleaching skin ,wearing western clothes ,watching young and restless etc.that means couple more years from now there will be grat division that will lead to great conflicts. if black people could look at similar characteristics of the jews ,black people will be one of the greatest race period .almost every one hates jews but due to them having strong culture intack for thousands of years,.jews hardly inter marry and will defend their motherland isreal if they have to come till from the moon,and i think every jewish person worldwide has an isreali citizenship,they have the tightest borders and control most large companies worldwide ,and from being so closely bonded they have been able to survive holocaust ,terrorism ,persecution ,slavery. black people is like the opposite of jews only similar with the worldwide hatred. black dont know shit about their past culture ,blacks will take an amont to kill another black brother,blacks inter marry like crazy thinking it will benefit them,which black from around the world is willing to defend even die for africa ,sure even farrakhan would be a coward and blacks dont have any citizenshi to mother africa.eve the indians around the world are trying to acquire a second passport for an indian citizenship. black people have to realize that once u hate yourself no one is going to like u. east and central africa is slowly decending into complete chaos and if the black race does not put aside minor colour differences millions of black brothers and sisters will lose their lives. super power position for africa was only in ancient egyptian days but now it would be very hard to reclaim that title
See all comments (12).
Where is Elie and those morons who always say that Allafrica is biaised. Do you have the guts to comment when Randa is mixed in RDC. Where are you now to give us a piece of your minds. A true measure of a man is to admit that nothing is perfect and acknowledge gross mistakes as well as good things.