12 Jul 2012

DR CONGO / WRAP

UN representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Roger Meece, comments on today’s (12 July) UN helicopter attack on rebel positions. MONUSCO

Posted at: July 12, 2012 5:37 pm

Duration: 02:46

Available in: SD

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STORY: DR CONGO / WRAP
TRT: 2.46
SOURCE: MONUSCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 12 JULY 2012 / 11 JULY 2012, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

SHOTLIST:

12 JULY 2012, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

1. Zoom in, MONUSCO attack helicopter in flight 
2. Med shot, Roger Meece at meeting
3. Med shot, meeting
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Roger Meece, Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo:
"The use of the attack helicopters today, and indeed this is not the first use of them in the current situation; all of the actions, including the use of the attack helicopters, is in the context of seeking to do all possible to protect the further advances of  the M23's threats against the civilian population, threats against population centres. That includes obviously and notably Goma, but it is not uniquely confined. We are attempting to use surveillance flights, information available from all sources. We are working in close collaboration with the FARDC to try to determine the actual intentions and movements of forces of the M23 and therefore to take the necessary and corrective measures in terms of whatever their intentions may be."
5. Med shot, meeting
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Roger Meece, Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo:
"There have been numerous instances where MONUC, now MONUSCO, have used the combat helicopters as well as surface troops and armoured vehicles and other means to engage very actively and very robustly as circumstances require in terms of threats to the population."

11 JULY 2012, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

7. Med shot, United Nations airplane taxiing on tarmac
8. Med shot, Ghanaian peacekeeper
9. Med shot, Ghanaian contingent deplaning 
10. Various shots, Ghanaian peacekeepers walking on tarmac
11. Med shot, Ghanaian peacekeepers in formation
12. Close up, Ghanaian flag on peacekeeper's uniform
13. Various shots, Ghanaian peacekeepers in formation
14. Med shot, commander imparting instructions
15. Various shots, Ghanaian peacekeepers in formation
16. Med shot, Ghanaian peacekeepers marching off

STORYLINE:

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Roger Meece, confirmed today (12 July) that UN attack helicopters had engaged "very actively and very robustly" against rebel forces in the eastern DRC.

Meece told reporters in Kinshasa that the use of the attack helicopters was "in the context of seeking to do all possible" to protect the civilian population against the advances of the M23 rebel faction.

He said the peacekeepers were seeking "information available from all sources" and working in close collaboration with the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) "to try to determine the actual intentions and movements of forces of the M23 and therefore to take the necessary and corrective measures in terms of whatever their intentions may be."

The Special Representative pointed out that "there have been numerous instances" in the past where the peacekeeping forces, "have used the combat helicopters as well as surface troops and armoured vehicles and other means" to protect the civilian population.

The rebel group, known as M23 and composed of renegade soldiers who mutinied in April, is reportedly led by Bosco Ntaganda, an army general wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes for recruiting and using children in combat in the DRC's north-east in 2002-2003.

Along with the neighbouring province of South Kivu in eastern DRC, North Kivu province has witnessed increased fighting between Government troops and the M23, which has displaced more than 100,000 people, including many who have fled to neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda.

In calls with the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC, the Secretary-General yesterday expressed grave concern over reports that the M23 is receiving external support.