RCD-Goma to demine Kisangani

The rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) has said it will demine parts of Kisangani town following the fighting between Ugandan and Rwandan troops last month. “We estimate that that there are more than 3000 anti-personnel mines in and around town,” the RCD’s first vice-president Jean-Pierre Ondekane told IRIN. “We are doing our best by asking humanitarian agencies to come in and supplement our demining efforts so that our people are safe.” Rebel commanders told IRIN that most of the mines had been found close to former camps of the Ugandan army on the road to the main airport, Bangboka.

Local authorities have banned access to affected areas until the demining is completed. The RCD-Goma head of territorial administration, Joseph Mudumbi, told IRIN that the ICRC had been approached to help with the demining exercise. Hundreds of unexploded shells and grenades have been abandoned in the suburbs of the town, making farming impossible. According to the municipal authorities, more than 10 people have been killed by explosions since the fighting stopped.