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great lakes - central africa - no. 16 - august 25, 1998 Date:
Sat, 29 Aug 1998 12:27:03 +0200

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no. 16 - august 25, 1998 great lakes - central africa ____________________________________________________________________

(NOTE: The following document has been received with the request to make it known as widely as possible.)

August 14, 1998: The National Council of Non-Governmental Organizations for Development issued the following Declaration to the national and international community concerning the war in D.R.Congo.
August 25, 1998: Allegations of military invasion in the east were confirmed by Stan Mudenge, Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe, and member of the verification team sent to the Great Lakes region. ____________________________________________________________________

DECLARATION:

The war that broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August 1998 is an act of aggression against our country by Rwanda and Uganda and consequently constitutes a violation of Congo territorial integrity.
The colonial heritage of territorial intangibility is one of the basic principles ratified by the Charter of the Organization of African Unity.
Since 1994 our country is living the consequences of the Rwanda crisis and the war of liberation, with the tragic humanitarian situation of refugees and displaced Congo populations.

• Taking into account the bitter price paid by the Democratic Republic of the Congo because of the crises taking place in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan and Angola;
  • Taking equally into account the urgency of peace and good government in order to lead the people of the Congo and other countries of Central Africa out of poverty, the underlying cause of all the troubles this part of the world has known for over ten years;

• Prompted by commitment to building lasting peace and harmony among the peoples of Central Africa;

* CNONGD denounces and condemns the territorial aggression by the armies of Rwanda and Uganda.

* CNONGD asks the international community to demand the unconditional withdrawal of troops of Rwanda and Uganda from Congo territory, and to condemn their military operations in DR Congo.

* CNONGD calls on the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization of African Unity to take every possible means to stop this war that has been forced on our country.

* CNONGD asks the United Sates to pressure the governments of Rwanda and Uganda to cease all military activity in DR Congo.

* CNONGD asks the United States not to supply arms to rebels nor to incite rebellions.

* CNONGD calls on Congo public authorities and so-called leaders of the rebellion in the Kivu provinces not to plunge the country into a war that risks total destruction of our people, our country and the countries of Central Africa.

* CNONGD calls the attention of national opinion to the exigency of finding a peaceful solution to settle internal political differences, the only means of building true democracy.

* CNONGD is in solidarity with the President of the Republic, the Government and the Congo Armed Forces in efforts to preserve territorial integrity and restore Peace throughout the country.

May God save our country and help us to rebuild peace and national unity.

Kinshasa, August 14, 1998

(signed)

Baudouin Kamuli Kabarhuza
Executive Secretary

Nestor Bazeye Mbela
President

Information published in great lakes - central africa is received from different sources: documents and reports published in D.R.Congo, the Great Lakes region and Europe; reports of local human rights groups, church groups, non -governmental organizations; articles from African and European publications; personal contacts
and correspondence. Topics are chosen in response to specific requests from the Great Lakes region, and are frequently compiled from several sources. In many instances individual attribution must be withheld. ____________________________________________________________________

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