DRC objects to India troops

  1. Posted on Thursday 27 November 2008 - 12:30
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    Emmanuel Pweto, AfricaNews reporter in Kinshasa, DRC
    The Democratic Republic of Congo has announced its refusal to see Indian troops reinforce the peace mission of the United Nations in that country. The country accused India of having committed "abuses." A letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "We reject Indian troops."
    monuc
    According to spokesman Lambert Mende, the letter refers to the strengthening of 3,000 peacekeepers to MONUC decided last week by the Security Council of the United Nations because of renewed fighting between the rebels of Laurent Nkunda and the Congolese army since late August in the province of North Kivu.

    "The Congolese government, like any other government in the world, has every right to object, for reasons of sovereignty and state, the deployment on its territory of troops of a country," said Mende.

    In the letter, the government explains that "in view of the many very unfortunate abuses committed by some troops in MONUC, the evil that include contingents of the same origin reinforce the strength of MONUC". It does not specify the nature of "abuses" mentioned, but peacekeepers, including Indians, are suspected by the United Nations of sexual abuse.

    In March, an Indian officer stationed in North Kivu had publicly expressed its support for the rebel leader, describing him as a "brother" who "fights for a noble cause."

    The position of DRC will deeply embarrass the United Nations. With about 4400 soldiers in the DRC, all deployed in North Kivu, India is the largest contributor to MONUC. She has volunteered up to about 1,200 men to reinforce the peace mission, according to diplomatic sources. India also provides all helicopter gunships to MONUC.

    MONUC confirmed that a letter from Congolese authorities had been sent to UN headquarters in New York, but it does not specify the contents. "The secretary general will share the concern of the Congolese government to the Security Council to take a decision,” said Manodje Mounoubai Spokesman for MONUC.

    MONUC is currently deploying 17,000 peacekeepers in that country.

    On November 20th, the Security Council of the United Nations had decided to send 3000 troops in the DRC. Neither the nationality of the troops or their arrival date has yet been formally rectified.

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