50 civilians killed in DRC

2008-11-11 12:24

Kinshasa - At least 50 civilians, far more than previously thought, were killed during a battle last week in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

Citing local sources and civilians who had fled Kiwanja in Nord-Kivu province, the group said it had revised its death toll up from the figure of 20 it initially reported last Thursday - and warned the figure could still rise.

The New York-based group also called on the United Nations to urgently increase the number of peacekeeping troops in the region.

Most of those killed had died at the hands of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) rebels, led by renegade Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda, "in reprisal against those deemed to be enemy collaborators", it said.

"Human Rights Watch continues to receive reports of bodies found in locations in and around Kiwanja, indicating that the final death toll may even be higher," it added.

On Sunday, the head of the UN mission in Congo, Alan Doss, said war crimes had been committed in the area of Kiwanja where, citing witnesses, he put the civilian death toll at 26.

Kiwanja, 80km north of the Nord-Kivu provincial capital Goma, has been under rebel control for about two weeks, and was the focus last week of fighting with pro-government Mai Mai militia.

Human Rights Watch urged the UN Security Council to act on an October 30 appeal from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to "urgently increase the number of peacekeepers" to protect civilians in the east of Congo.

"The calls from the secretary-general and the cries of distress from the Congolese people should not continue to fall on deaf ears... Civilians need protection now from the killing and raping," it said.

- AFP