Bemba waiting for Chiluba reply over bombings

Leader of the rebel Mouvement de liberation congolais (MLC) Jean Pierre Bemba said he was awaiting a reply from Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, mediator of the DRC peace process, on "what step to take" after government troops allegedly bombed the towns of Bogbonga and Makanza, near Mbandaka, on Wednesday. Bemba told IRIN on Thursday the attack "came as a surprise", causing many people to flee and others remaining "in a state of shock". According to Bemba, two Sudanese Antonov planes dropped 18 bombs on the two "heavily concentrated" towns, killing 384 civilians and 134 soldiers. "I immediately called Chiluba to inform him and seek his advice over Kabila's violation of the ceasefire," Bemba said. "I also asked him to send a helicopter which I would use to take journalists to the towns to verify the incidents." Bemba said that "24 hours later" he was still waiting for Chiluba's call. He added that he had put his soldiers on standby since the incident, and they were recovering the bodies for burial. Bemba expressed disappointment over the "lack of attention" by humanitarian agencies and the international community to the suffering in DRC. "Over 500 people have been killed and thousands are in the bush, but nobody, no agency has even come to find out the needs, be it medicines, food or shelter," he said. Ugandan army sources in the DRC confirmed the incident and said the majority of soldiers who died in the attack were Ugandans and that there "must be retaliation". The DRC government has said it is unaware of the bombings. Bemba told IRIN it was "shameful to deny the attacks". He has threatened to withdraw his signature on the Lusaka peace accord. Zambian delegation to visit rebel-held areas A Zambian delegation, led by Presidency Minister Eric Silwamba, is expected in rebel-held territory in eastern DRC to "investigate the leadership wrangle" in the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD), the Rwanda News Agency (RNA) reported. It quoted the RCD's head of foreign affairs Alexis Tambwe Mwamba as saying the Zambian delegation "is welcome in our territories". "It will note that we are in full control of all the areas in our hands, that RCD-Kisangani is just mere fiction, that Wamba has no forces at all," he said. Uganda to withdraw troops from DRC Uganda's Minister for State for Foreign Affairs Amama Mbabazi on Wednesday told journalists in Kampala that Ugandan soldiers would withdraw from DRC "after all parties have signed the [Lusaka] agreement". He stressed that the ceasefire agreement must be implemented, Radio Uganda said. Meanwhile, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni held "fruitful" talks with the Goma-based RCD rebels led by their Vice-President Moise Nyarugabo, the semi-official 'New Vision' reported. The Rwanda News Agency quoted Nyarugabo as saying his team explained to Museveni the process by which former RCD leader Ernest Wamba dia Wamba was ousted. "He seemed convinced by our explanations. We handed him documents relating to Wamba's removal and we hope that they will be examined seriously," he said. Uganda is seen as backing Wamba's RCD-Kisangani faction. South Africa denies troops are in DRC The South African government has denied media reports that it has troops in the DRC. According to 'The Star' in Johannesburg, soldiers from South Africa's special forces were in DRC to "prepare the groundwork" for participation in a peacekeeping force and for "protecting South Africa's interests". However, a defence ministry spokesman told IRIN: "The whole story is totally untrue. We have no troops in the DRC." Peacekeepers will be sign of "re-engagement" in DRC A senior UN official has said the deployment of UN observers in DRC is seen as a real contribution to establishing peace in the east of the country. The official told IRIN however that deployment without increased humanitarian assistance would not result in significant change. Local communities not only desire peace, they have to be able to afford it also. In this regard, humanitarian workers have recommended a form of "peace dividend" - supporting communities who respond to the message of peace. The official said that while no-one believes the observers will be able to control the movement of arms and troops, Congolese citizens believe their presence will have a "catalytic impact" on local communities who are yearning for peace. It will send a signal that the international community has "re-engaged" in DRC. The official added that one of the early impacts of UN deployment and the Lusaka peace accord could be the significant return of displaced people and possibly thousands of refugees. Already in South Kivu, some 10,000 displaced people (out of a total of 200,000) have expressed the desire to return home from Bukavu. Government to implement new salary scales Information Minister Didier Mumengi has announced the government will implement new salary scales, in conformity with demands by civil servants who have been striking for the past three days. Speaking over state radio on Wednesday, he said salary arrears for May would be paid along with new salary rates for June and July. The government however warned the people against "possible political manipulation trying to exploit this difficult situation in a time of war". Mumengi also noted the government's concern over rising prices and said a system would be worked out for calculating and publishing the prices of essential commodities. The government would ensure the "strict implementation" of these prices, he added. Human rights group claims harassment by government A DRC human rights organisation, La voix des sans-voix (VSV), has expressed concern over the continued detention of two of its members by the security services in Kinshasa. In a statement received by IRIN, it said the two - Honore Kapuku and Timothee Dikwiza - had been held in custody since 27 July. The VSV claimed it was the victim of a "deliberate policy of harassment by the government". It said the two were arrested following the seizure of some VSV documents by the authorities.