Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 19 March 2018

Ethnic violence in Congo's northeast displaces 60,000

By AL-HADJI KUDRA Londri, a 26-year-old from
MALIRO, Associated Press Djugu, said the Lendu
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The came to steal cows and
assailants attacked under ravage fields. They killed his
cover of darkness, slaugh- five brothers and a woman,
tering Nguli Nzafi 's wife he said.
and three children with He has found safety in Bu-
machetes and arrows. nia, 75 kilometers (47 miles)
The 71-year-old, who also from his home village, but
lost all 40 of his cattle in the he said conditions are bad.
violence, was forced to "There are no tents so the
flee on foot some 90 kilo- rain falls on us, no beds,
meters (56 miles) to safety blankets ... we have al-
in the town of Bunia. ready lost seven displaced
"I have lost everything be- (people), who have died
cause I no longer have as a result of starvation and
my wife nor my children," dirty hands disease," he
he says. "I cannot eat nor said, referring to outbreaks
sleep. I'm afraid that this of cholera. Beatrice Ngave,
fighting is as bad as the war 23, lost her daughter to ma-
in 1996-2002." laria. She called on inter-
Violence between Nzafi's Nguli Nzafi who lost his wife and three children following attacks by assailants, stands with others national organizations to
Hema community and at a camp for displace people in Bunia, Eastern Congo. The assailants attacked under cover of build more latrines and ac-
the Lendu ethnic group in darkness, slaughtering Nzafi 's wife and three children with machetes and arrows. The 71-year- commodations to prevent
old, who also lost all 40 of his cattle in the violence, was forced to flee on foot some 90 kilometers
Congo's northeast has now (56 miles) to safety in the town of Bunia. the spread of cholera and
killed at least 150 people (AP Photo/Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro) other diseases. Right now,
and has forced more than she said, the camp has
32,000 people to flee to already have killed thou- cycle of tit-for-tat attacks deputy administrator Willy only two latrines. Last week,
Bunia, where humanitarian sands and led the U.N. to caused a mounting death Maese told The Associated youths in Bunia invaded
assistance is strained and deploy a peacekeeping toll. The instability here in Press. the office of the governor
the suffering are eager for force in the area. Much Ituri province presents yet "The Lendu had asked the of the Ituri province, with
improved conditions. of it is rooted in economic another challenge for the Hema to give them part sticks and machetes, de-
Another 28,000 have also tensions over land, as the Congolese military and of their crops. Following manding the government
fled into Uganda, accord- Lendu historically have U.N. peacekeeping force their refusals, the Lendu to take action, said youth
ing to the U.N. Office for been farmers on statio- who are already grappling launched attacks directly leader Joseph Tibasima.
the Coordination of Hu- nery plots of land while the with the threats posed by on the Hemas," he said. Celestin Tawara Angaika,
manitarian Affairs. Hema have raised animals rebel groups, and with on- Despite a reprieve when the president of the Lendu
There is a long history of ten- and moved throughout the going unrest in the Kasai authorities came, fighting community in Bunia, last
sions between the Lendu year to good grazing ar- provinces. intensified in February lead- week asked the Congolese
and Hema groups, whose eas. Once those disputes The latest round of fighting ing to a wave of displace- government for the protec-
ongoing battles since 1999 erupted into violence, the began in December, Djugu ments, he said. Kpadyu tion of its members.q

Burundi's president sets May date for referendum on power

By I. SSUUNA country that saw deadly 400,000 fled the country in divided, said Hussein Rad- Vital Nshimirimana.
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Bu- political violence after the the chaos after Nkurunzi- jabu, a former secretary- Nkurunziza rose to power
rundi's president has signed president's disputed deci- za's decision in 2015 to run general of the ruling party. in 2005 following the sign-
a decree setting May 17 for sion in 2015 to seek a third for a third term. In Novem- "The ruling party is also di- ing of the Arusha accords
a referendum on changes term. Opposition and hu- ber, International Criminal vided on the matter, so to end Burundi’s 13-year
to the constitution that man rights groups have Court judges authorized we are likely to see more civil war that killed about
could keep him in power called the referendum a an investigation into alle- bloodshed in Burundi as 300,000 people. He was
until 2034, days after some plot by Nkurunziza to stay in gations of state-sponsored people opposed to lifting re-elected unopposed in
ruling party members be- power for life. The proposed crimes including murder, term limits will be killed," 2010 after the opposition
stowed on him the title of changes to the constitution rape and torture, announc- Radjabu told The Associ- boycotted the vote. Nku-
"eternal supreme guide." include extending a presi- ing the decision shortly af- ated Press. runziza said he was eligible
The decree, shared online dential term from five years ter Burundi became the first Human rights activists say for a third term because
Sunday by Burundi's U.N. to seven. Nkurunziza's cur- country to formally quit the some opposing the refer- lawmakers, not the people,
ambassador and other of- rent term expires in 2020. court. endum already have been had chosen him for his first
ficials, could lead to more At least 1,200 people The referendum in May arrested. Others have fled term, but critics called the
unrest in the East African were killed and more than will leave Burundians more into exile, said local activist move unconstitutional.q