"Spying" among suspended officials' offences - RCD

The sacking by the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) of three senior members - Alexis Tambwe, Jose Endundo Bononge and Lambert Mende Omalanga - was due to "serious" breaches of RCD rules, which included "spying for the enemy," according to the rebels' spokesman, Kin-Kiey Mulumba. "We have evidence that, for a long time, they have been
doing intelligence work for the enemy. We are in a war situation, we cannot afford to take any chances. However, we are waiting to hear from them so that we can take a decision on their status in the movement," Mulumba told IRIN. Tambwe, one of the founder members of the RCD, held the rebels' foreign affairs portfolio until his suspension. Jose Endundo
Bononge was in charge of Finance and Budgeting, and Lambert Mende held responsibility for mobilisation, propaganda, sports and culture.

On the Kampala agreement to disengage forces by 14 April, Mulumba said everything would depend on how DRC President Laurent-Desire Kabila reacted. "As we talk now, Kabila is shelling our positions at Ikela and Dekese. I think the UN should deploy quickly to prevent any hostilities so that the target of 14 April is met," he added. The RCD claimed that, in
addition to military violations of the Lusaka agreement, Kabila was blocking its implementation by denying the facilitator of the proposed inter-Congolese dialogue, former Botswana President Ketumile Masire, the access he needed to rebel-held areas.