DRC Interior Minister Gaetan Kakudji and his ROC counterpart Pierre Oba held talks in Kinshasa last week to discuss the border situation and cooperation in general, DRC state television reported. Oba said his country was taking measures to help thousands of DRC refugees fleeing the fighting in neighbouring Equateur province. However, he stressed there were areas where the situation was becoming increasingly difficult. “Villages that are usually inhabited by 200 people are growing overnight to harbour 2,000 to 3,000 people,” he pointed out. “This situation is causing health and sanitation problems. We have indications that there are health problems in some localities such as Dundu where diarrhoea and cholera have broken out.” He also underlined that among the refugees arriving from DRC were soldiers, from both government and rebel ranks. The ROC authorities were trying to seize all weapons from people entering the country, to ensure that arms did not circulate in the country. “[These] dangerous elements are not at all free to move about wherever they please in [Republic of] Congo,” he added.
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