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Strategies & Market Trends : Africa and its Issues- Why Have We Ignored Africa? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (62)	5/10/2003 10:27:19 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1267

'Catastrophe' threatens Congo town The withdrawal of Ugandan troops leaves a power vacuum A United Nations official has warned that the town of Bunia in north-eastern DR Congo is on the verge of an "humanitarian catastrophe". Since the departure of Ugandan troops this week - part of an international peace deal for the DRC - Lendu and Hema militias have been battling for control of the town. Head of UN peacekeeping operations Jean-Marie Guehenno has warned Security Council members of the ongoing bloodshed in the region. The council said it would meet again on Monday to discuss "effective measures to stop the violence". Food shortages About 500 UN peacekeeping troops in Bunia have been trying to protect civilians from the fighting, but have themselves come under attack. On Friday, two UN compounds were surrounded by angry crowds and then fired on. The BBC's Mark Dummett, reporting from Kinshasa, says people are unhappy the UN is not doing more to protect them. DR CONGO'S WAR The number of victims is unknown, although bodies have been seen lying in the streets, says our correspondent. Aid workers say the three days of fighting and looting have destroyed Bunia's food stocks and that water and medicines are also running out. Meanwhile, authorities in neighbouring Uganda say tens of thousands of refugees have fled across the border and have asked for international assistance. Since 1999, more than 50,000 people are estimated to have been killed and half a million displaced by unrest in Ituri region. On Friday, a plane carrying the Congolese Human Rights Minister, Ntumba Luaba, was hit by gunfire near the town's airport, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.