At its weekly press conference this Wednesday on 31October, 2007, MONUC declared that around 200 children are enrolled in the FARDC, particularly among brigades deployed to North Kivu. MONUC also indicated that the expulsions of Congolese citizens from Angola to Kasai Occidental continue.

MONUC welcomes the efforts of Bukavu’s 10th military region that allowed putting an end to miners arrest by the military jurisdictions. The Commander of the 10th military region, General Sylvain Tshikwej, referring to the provisions of article 114 of the military jurisdiction code that stipulates that these are incompetent with regards to persons aged less than eighteen years old, permitted the liberation of miners. In case of blatancy, these miners must be transferred before a civil and non military court.

MONUC looks forward to a similar action in North-Kivu where many children are detained daily by the T2 cell for various accusations, of which to have belonged to an armed group.
Moreover, MONUC and child protection partners continue to note the presence of children within DRC Armed forces (FARDC) ranks. It is estimated that close to 200 miners are still present within various FARDC’s brigades currently deployed to North Kivu, MONUC’s spokesperson, Kemal Saiki said.

As for the humanitarian situation in North Kivu, MONUC informed that its Civil Affairs Section facilitated an inter agency mission to Rutshuru on 23 and 24 October, in order to get more information on the recent population movements and to determine the priorities in view of protecting the civilians.

On the basis of the information received, the confrontations between the FARDC, the rebel forces of Laurent Nkunda and the Mai-Mai of Kasereka have provoked the displacement of about 41,000 people to the direction of Uganda, Rutshuru centers, Kiwanja and Kibumba.

In Kasaï Occidental, during a meeting organized by MONUC Civil Affairs Section in Kananga on 24 October last, the information shared by the different humanitarian organizations has confirmed that the expulsion of Congolese citizens of Angola towards Kasaï Occidental is ongoing. At least 3,200 new people have arrived and been registered during the month of October, mainly in Nsubula, Bangus, Lwambos, Kabungus and Kamakos villages in the Territories of Tshikapa and Luizas. Cases of abuses and human rights violations from both sides of the borders have been reported.

A meeting with the provincial minister for the humanitarian affairs is planned next week in order to sensitize the security services on their responsibilities as for the protection of the populations and the respect of the international humanitarian rights.

MONUC also expressed its sadness as well as its compassion to the families of the victims of the torrential rain that fell on Kinshasa city in the night of 25 until 26 October last. MONUC hails the decision of the Congolese authorities to take in charge the victims and rehabilitate the damaged infrastructures.