Belgium stops flights to DRC

2004-06-04 21:44

Brussels - Belgium warned travellers Friday to avoid the Democratic Republic of Congo as the country's main airline cut flights to its former colony wracked by a wave of deadly violence.

"We advise against travelling to the DRC," said foreign ministry spokesperson Patrick Herman, adding that the warning was valid "particularly for Kinshasa" and places still hit by unrest, such as the route to the capital's airport.

Meanwhile, SN Brussels Airlines, formerly Belgium's flag carrier Sabena, said on Friday it had cancelled three flights over the weekend to Kinshasa - on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, following the violence.

SN Brussels, which normally operates five flights a week to Kinshasa, said it will review the situation on Monday. "It all depends on the situation on the ground, which we're following hour by hour," said spokesperson Cedric Leurquin.

Three people were killed in Kinshasa after countrywide protests broke out against the failure of United Nations peacekeepers to intervene to prevent the capture by rebel soldiers of the eastern DRC town of Bukavu on Wednesday.

Trying to normalise situation

The trio were shot dead as they looted a UN warehouse in Kinshasa during the demonstrations, UN officials said.

Belgium is home to a large community of immigrants from the DRC, formerly Zaire, which used to be a Belgian colony.

The ministry spokesperson added that foreign minister Louis Michel still plans to travel as scheduled to Kinshasa at the end of the month, saying it was "more necessary than ever". Stopovers in Rwanda and Burundi are also maintained.

Meanwhil,e the Belgian defence ministry said it will repatriate "as scheduled" some 200 troops currently in the African country on a training mission.

The Belgians, who have been training Congolese soldiers in Kinangani along with French troops, will be flown home on Monday, said a spokesperson.

Defence minister Andre Flahaut, cited by the Belga news agency, said that the transitional government in Kinshasa was "getting things in hand".

"What has happened shows that training the Congolese army is a major element" of activities required to stabilise the country.

- AFP