MONUC deplores rebel capture of towns

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), known as MONUC, denounced on Tuesday the capture of two towns in eastern DRC by a Rwandan-backed rebel group, the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Goma (RCD-Goma). "The capture of Muhanga and Bunyatenge is a regrettable military offensive as well as incomprehensible and unjustifiable," MONUC said in a statement. It said the RCD-Goma’s 12th brigade attacked and occupied the towns on 29 March, "the very day RCD signed the agreement [with the DRC government] on the future military structure and on the eve of the final session of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue due to take place in Sun City [South Africa] this week". Bunyatenge and Muhanga, about 100 km southwest of Lubero in North Kivu Province, are positions held by the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Kisangani(RCD-K-ML). "The attacks caused large displacement of people and a report, yet to be confirmed, suggests that RCD[-Goma] has the intention of carrying on with territorial conquests in Kasuo, Bingi and Lubero, where MONUC opened a reception centre for the purpose of its disarmament, demobilization and repatriation (DDR) operations," MONUC said. It added that the RCD-Goma move could "increase tensions in a highly troubled area, stall DDR operations as well as impede the efforts of both the United Nations and the international community" to restore peace to the DRC. MONUC reported that the UN secretary-general's representative in the DRC, Amos Namanga Ngongi, urged RCD-Goma to withdraw its troops from the positions they have just occupied. He also urged other parties to show restraint "and avoid endangering the peace process that is about to succeed".