RAPAPORT… The UN’s peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) placed its North Kivu province bases on high alert, citing evidence of a new rebel build-up in the region. The peacekeeping mission, MONUC, called upon the rebel party Congrès National Pour la Défense du People (CNDP) and other armed groups to refrain from threatening a new round of action.
“MONUC calls on all armed groups, particularly CNDP and PARECO/Mai Mai forces, to cease any build-up or movement of forces which may provoke renewed hostilities and the new displacement of populations,” read the the statement, issued this afternoon from New York. MONUC reported that it was conducting additional patrols along the axes of Rwindi-Kanyabayonga-Nyanzale, and Rumangabo-Kilimanyoka-Kibat.
Olusegun Obasanjo, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s special envoy for the region, reported that the rebels refused to sign a draft cessation of hostilities agreement this past week, and declined to recommit themselves to their own unilateral ceasefire. The Security Council condemned the CNDP for repeated military offensives which had already caused displacement of 800,000 people in North Kivu before the current outbreak of fighting.
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