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Gold UN in bid to solve Bemba impasse as calm returns to Kinshasa
March 26, 2007 Edition 2
KINSHASA: Two days of clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) capital here between the army and opposition forces left more than 120 dead, aid groups said yesterday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said there could be "hundreds of fighters and civilians dead and wounded" from the fighting on Thursday and Friday as former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba refused to let his personal guard be integrated into the army.
The capital was calm yesterday after most of Bemba's fighters had fled or agreed to join government forces.
Bemba, who asked for refuge in the South African compound in the capital late on Thursday, was still there yesterday, the SA Foreign Affairs Department said yesterday.
DRC authorities on Friday charged Bemba with high treason for keeping a private militia. Bemba was defeated in the country's presidential elections last year.
He had not asked for asylum, said Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa, adding that Bemba's stay was "a temporary measure".
Mamoepa said Monuc, the UN mission in the DRC, was trying to resolve the matter amicably, and SA was supporting the process.
At least 90 bodies packed the morgue at Kinshasa general hospital by yesterday morning and more arrived during the day.
The UN said 107 Bemba fighters had taken refuge at the UN mission. Many are said to fear they will be killed if they are handed over to the authorities. - Sapa-AFP
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