Congo-Kinshasa: AU Welcomes Arrest of Alleged DRC Rebels

Photo: Sylvain Liechti/UN
Residents of Rutshuru Territory flee their homes to seek safety in Goma.

Johannesburg — African Union chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma welcomed the arrest of 19 alleged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rebels in Limpopo on Tuesday.

"If they are coup-plotters, its good that they are arrested," Dlamini-Zuma said.

"According to the AU principles, we do not tolerate unconstitutional changes of government. We do not tolerate coups. People must get to government through a democratic process of election."

The group of alleged rebels from the DRC was arrested in Limpopo on Tuesday morning after months of investigation, said national police spokesman Brigadier Lindela Mashigo.

They were allegedly planning to overthrow the DRC's current government, and faced charges under the Foreign Military Assistance Act.

The DRC was recently attacked by militants thought to have the backing of neighbouring Rwanda.

The DRC's mineral-rich east has been unstable, and often engulfed by fighting, since a 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Mashigo said the men could not appear in court on Tuesday because of "outstanding administration processes" of the investigation.

"They are likely to appear in court on Thursday or Friday, but it will be this week," he said.

The investigations continues.

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Comments Post a comment

  • cephas11
    Feb 6 2013, 10:41

    The African Union doesn't care about the 8 million people who have been killed in the Congo and the more than 2 million women who are raped but they care about arresting people who want to fight against a tyrant government. i am surprising to me how they can never go after the real criminals who are destroying lives and families but they want to go after the little people who want to fight them. The AU has no credibility how so ever so they need to let these men go free...

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