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MONUC Ready to Repel Rebel LRA Attack, Says Spokesman

   A  spokesman for the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic
   of  Congo  (MONUC)  says  the  group is ready to fend off any possible
   attack by the Lordâs Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

   Peter Clottey | Washington, DC 20 December 2009
   Refugees  from  Democratic  Republic of Congo (DRC) at the Falco site,
   Betou  in  the  Republic  of  Congo, Nov. 2009, to escape inter-ethnic
   violence in recent weeks in neighbouring DRC

Photo: UNHCR / S. Lubuku

   Refugees  from  Democratic  Republic of Congo (DRC) at the Falco site,
   Betou  in  the  Republic  of  Congo, Nov. 2009, to escape inter-ethnic
   violence in recent weeks in neighbouring DRC

   A  spokesman for the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic
   of  Congo  (MONUC)  says  the  group is ready to fend off any possible
   attack by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

AFP Photo

   President Joseph Kabila

   Kevin  Kennedy  assured  Congolese  not to panic after rumors surfaced
   that LRA rebels are planning to attack villages ahead of the Christmas
   festivities.

   "First of all I would have to say we will caution people not to panic.
   There   have   of   course   been   rumors   and   there   have   been
   allegations...about  the  possibility  that LRA would attack as it did
   last  year at around this time in areas of Uwele or Bawele...the force
   commander  of  MONUC has essentially called on our people to be on the
   highest state of readiness, a highest state of alert," he said.

   LRA  rebels were alleged to have killed at least 800 unarmed civilians
   around Christmas and early January last year.

AFP Photo

   rebels

   But  Kennedy  said  MONUC is working closely with government troops to
   protect civilians.

   "MONUC,  which is the area to support the FARDC, the government troops
   that  have  been deployed to Uwele and Bawele primarily to protect the
   population...(our  force  commander)  has asked the commander of Ituri
   brigade  to  go  to  the area to oversee MONUC's activity there and to
   reinforce cooperation and coordination with the FARDC," Kennedy said.

   Meanwhile a United States-based advocacy group, ENOUGH Project said in
   a statement that "the LRA might be planning fresh Christmas attacks as
   a  response  to recent claims by the Congolese and Ugandan governments
   that the rebels are finished".

   ENOUGH  Project  also  said  in  its  statement that residents of some
   villages  reported  seeing  letters allegedly distributed by rebels to
   embark on mass killings over Christmas.

   Kennedy said MONUC is taking the rumors seriously.

   "First,  I  don't  know what ENOUGH intelligence is about this matter,
   but  we  are  taking  the  possibility that on the anniversary of last
   year's  killings  that there may be indeed be some attempt at creating
   panic  or  at  attacking in certain areas. So, we are doing everything
   that we can within the limit of our capacity," Kennedy said.

   He  also  denied speculations that MONUC has not effectively protected
   residents of the restive areas of Congo.

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