Rwandan militia still in DRC

2004-04-01 22:43

Kinshasha - Up to 8 000 Rwandans who fought in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in what has been termed Africa's world war are still in the vast country, UN officials said here on Wednesday.

There were also up to 2 000 Ugandan and 1 500 Burundian former fighters in the DRC, said the director of the disarmament and repatriation programme for the UN mission to the DRC, Peter Swarbrick.

Most of the ex-fighters live in desperate conditions, and many have family with them, he said, adding that this means there are still up to 40 000 people to repatriate.

"The will exists (for them to return home), especially for the troops, but it seems that their officers are putting pressure on them to stay," he said.

According to official statistics, 10 468 people, including 7 086 ex-militiamen, left the DRC between January 2003 and March 31, 2004.

A peace deal and the formation of a transitional government last year appeared to signal the end of a five-year conflict in the DRC which pitted government forces, backed by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda.

- AFP