Violence in Kinshasa Kills 120
Vice President Bemba charged with high treason
Forces loyal to ex-warlord, Jean-Pierre Bemba, clashed with government troops in Kinshasa recently in the worst fighting DRC has seen since historic elections in October.
Two days of violence in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed at least 120 people, according to Agence France Press (AFP). A private militia loyal to Vice-President Jean Pierre Bemba fought against the government forces of President Joseph Kabila. Around 2,000 soldiers fought against 700 of Bemba's men in the streets of Kinshasa.
An ex-rebel, Bemba lost the presidential elections in October 2006, the first free vote in more that 40 years in DRC. Several other deadly altercations between Bemba's militia and Kabila's government troops have occurred in the past but this is the first major battle in five months.
What started out with gunshots eventually led to mortar fire, setting buildings ablaze and forcing people to flee the capital. Security forces finally managed to restore calm to the city after two days of chaos but bodies still remained in the streets. The death count is expected to rise as bodies continue to flow into Kinshasa morgues.
All the vice-president's men
Bemba's militia was supposed to be integrated into the national army but, fearing for his own safety, Bemba has refused to give up his bodyguards. He has repeatedly disregarded deadlines to disband his forces, including another date that passed last week. It is still uncertain what provoked the fighting but it is clear that Kabila's office holds Bemba accountable.
The government issued high treason charges against Bemba on March 23 because of the latest bloodshed and for his failure to disband his militia. According to diplomatic sources, the vice president is currently hiding at the South African embassy in Kinshasa. Several news agencies also report that calls to the embassy were not returned but that diplomats said Bemba would remain there until further notification from Pretoria.
AFP reported that the United Nations (UN) stated 107 of Bemba's men turned themselves in to a UN mission but fear they will be killed if they are delivered to authorities. The Associated Press put the number at 109 and added that another 44 were captured attempting to escape across the Congo River into neighbouring Republic of Congo. A spokesman for the army Chief of Staff offered other numbers, claiming that around 200 of Bemba's fighters have surrendered.
A bloody civil war from 1998-2003 killed approximately 4 million people and Joseph Kabila's presidential victory in October was seen as the best opportunity for the mineral-rich nation to begin a new chapter in their trouble history. Many fear that the latest battle between Bemba's men and the president's forces will be a major setback for the nation after their landmark elections. The European Union has asked rival factions to resolve their differences through diplomatic discussions but it remains unclear how politics in Kinshasa will proceed.
