By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NORTH KIVO, Democratic Republic of Congo – In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, rebels under the leadership of General Laurent Nkunda have been given until October 15th to cease hostilities. The militants have been given the choice to enter the national army or face prosecution.

General Nkunda is currently backing DR Congo’s Tutsis population. He claims that he is protecting Tutsis from Hutus who escaped Rwanda and entered into the DR Congo after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Nkunda firmly believes that Hutus in DRC have formed the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR). The Rwandan government denies supporting General Nkunda.

The fighting in North Kivu province forced thousands of people to become displaced when locals fled from their homes to avoid the violence. The “once-bustling” town of Mushaki, located 50 km west of Goma, is now deserted.

In Goma, the provincial capital, relief workers are preparing to accommodate at least 1,900 displaced families. The site’s capacity can hold 10,000 to 12,000 people. Furthermore, in the Masisi district, more than 16,000 people are sheltering along the roads that connect the villages.

Many people seeking relief avoid going to the displacement camps in Goma and travel up North into the Masisi Mountains. One reason for this growing trend is that the mountains in the north provide better grazing conditions for cattle “on which their livelihoods depend.”

The UNHCR stated that, “Displaced [people] report severe violations by armed groups, such as pillaging and destruction of houses, killings of civilians, recruitment of children into armed groups and cases of rape.” Between January and September 2007, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported more than 2,000 cases of rape in North Kivu.

In total, the United Nation’s believes that more than 370,000 civilians have been displaced in the province in the latest round of fighting.

For more information, please see:

All Africa.com – Congo-Kinshasa: Rape Cases Up By 60 Percent in North Kivu – UNHCR – 12 October 2007

BBC – DR Congo army moves on rebel HQ – 12 October 2007

BBC – DR Congo Key Facts – Accessed 12 October 2007