United Nations Radio

The Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has strongly condemned the latest violation of the ceasefire by the rebel CNDP of Laurent Nkunda.

Nkunda's fighters yesterday seized control of a number of North Kivu localities following some of the worst fighting in more than a week. UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe:

"The Mission says that the UN attacked helicopters, undertook reconnaissance flights over the area and are poised to respond to any and all eventualities. It calls on the warring parties to uphold the ceasefire and to give the ongoing political process a chance to succeed."

Over the weekend, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo met with Presidents Dos Santos of Angola and Kabila of the DRC, and later on with rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in North Kivu. Nkunda raised some demands, including integration of rebels in the national army at the appropriate rank. He also agreed to open a corridor for humanitarian assistance and to continue to observe the ceasefire. Special Envoy Obasanjo and African Union Co-Facilitator Benjamin Mkapa are in Nairobi today to brief President Mwai Kibaki on their consultations with Luanda and Kinshasa.

Meanwhile, the Mission says it is providing support to humanitarian agencies working to relocate some 60,000 displaced people from a UN camp at Kibati. The Kibati camp is located some 10 km north of Goma, just below rebel lines, and would be firmly in the line of fire should the rebels advance on Goma. The IDPs will be moved to another UN camp far from the frontline.

Diane Bailey, United Nations.

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