PEACE SHATTERED IN THE CONGO
Outbreaks of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo have forced humanitarian aid to be suspended in the eastern city of Rutshuru .
Attacks made towards the UN peacekeeping force with machetes and stones meant that the UN were forced to withdrawn into a secure area.
A spokesperson for the World Food Programme explained.
“It has been dangerous. We are trying to bring about a peaceful resolution but it is difficult”.
Reports from the area said thousands of civilians rioted in the wake of confusion over the presence of U.N. peacekeepers in the area. A UN World Food Programme truck, loaded with food aid, was destroyed in the chaos.
The head of the UN mission in the DRC, Alan Doss, expressed a wish to see a cease-fire between all Congolese parties, known as the AMANI process, must be respected by all.
"More violence is not the answer, but at the same time, there has to be progress in the AMANI process because a cease-fire is fragile," he said.
This is down to many factors, not least the fact that there have been enormous needs there for several years as a result of conflict
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4 July 2008
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