RCD military leader seeking resources for army

RCD military leader and first vice-president Jean Pierre Ondekane said he went to Europe recently to mobilise resources and establish contacts. In an interview with rebel-held Goma radio on Sunday, upon his return, he said the trip was necessary to help set up a national army. “We cannot buy uniforms with tax collections...not even arms, and yet we have to set up a national army,” he said. “I am working on reorganising the army, on finding foodstuffs, uniforms and arms. I am working on how to bring in engineers to build roads as our army is faced with difficulties on some of the warfronts because of a lack of roads.” Ondekane added that prior to leaving for Europe, he went to Bukavu in South Kivu where RCD officials “cleansed the financial department”. He said there was a thorough cutback in the number of civil servants, some of whom were “confusing the business community and stealing money”.