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 ]
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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.
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.
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