Rebel factions in New York

Congolese rebel factions showed up in New York, despite the fact they were not officially invited to attend talks aimed at ending war in their country. The Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) was represented by its president Emile Ilunga and its chief of intelligence Bizima Karaha. Ernest Wamba dia Wamba and other officials represented the RCD-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-ML). Only Jean-Pierre Bemba’s Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC) stayed away.

The rebels were not allowed into official meetings of the Security Council but met UN officials and representatives of foreign governments in their hotels. “Without New York, I think in some few months Lusaka would be dead,” the Associated Press quoted Bizima Karaha as saying. Wamba Dia Wamba was also optimistic about the outcome of the talks. “What we thought was very good was that there was some unity of viewpoints from the African leaders,” he told AP.