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DR Congo

DR Congo: MONUC denounces ceasefire violations and calls on all the parties to respect the ceasefire

Kinshasa, 17 November 2008 (morning)

  • On Sunday November 16, 2008, the forces of the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP) launched attacks and have taken the control of the following localities: Km9 (1km south of Kabasha on the Rwindi-Kanyabanyonga road); Ndeko (11km southeast of Rwindi). Clashes were also announced in the late afternoon towards Rwindi. MONUC's attack helicopters undertook reconnaissance flights in this sector, and remain ready for all eventualities.

MONUC would like, once again, to recall that it's imperative that the ceasefire is respected by all; not only to give a chance to the political process which currently profits from important diplomatic support, international as well as regional, but also to avoid undue suffering for the civilian populations, who are always the first innocent victims of these confrontations.

MONUC will give its support to humanitarian organisations for the relocalization of displaced people from Kibati towards Mugungu III camp, far from the frontline, for their security and enhanced assistance.

MONUC also deployed a civilian team to Kiwanja to evaluate the situation and to facilitate communication between the population and MONUC troops.

In the field of the assistance the humanitarians continue to organise and reinforce their intervention capacities. Qalong with the World Food Programme, the UNHCR received food and non food products from its regional warehouse in Tanzania by air, and by road from Entebbe in Uganda. The distribution is being carried out in the six camps around Goma, but also in other North Kivu centres.