|
Rival Tribes in Congo Sign Cease-Fire
Rival tribes fighting in northeastern Congo signed a cease-fire Friday, though the United Nations said the situation was still unstable and sent more soldiers to the region. The Lendu and Hema groups have been fighting in and around the city of Bunia since May 7, shortly after Uganda pulled 6,000 troops out of the war-ravaged region. The fighting has killed at least 100 people and forced thousands from their homes. Five rival Lendu and Hema groups signed the agreement at the talks in Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of neighboring Tanzania. The Congolese government and Amos Namanga Ngongi, head of the U.N. mission in Congo, also signed the agreement. The deal commits the warring factions to demilitarizing the town and confining their fighters to temporary quarters. Congolese President Joseph Kabila told reporters at the talks that an international force was needed to end the fighting for good. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is trying to persuade countries to contribute to an international security force to stabilize the region.Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-05-16 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=14356 |