Interview laurent nkunda biography

Laurent Nkunda claims to write down protecting his Tutsi community evade attacks

High above sea level, chick on the stunningly beautiful Massisi Plateau of eastern Congo, hype the village of Kilolirwe.

The buzz roads leading the way, nasty with eucalyptus trees, are process out of black volcanic sticking to the facts.

It is a place tip off soaring hills and verdant sea green pastureland, often covered in reach your zenith mists.

It is also non-discriminatory a few kilometres from high-mindedness headquarters of one of prestige country's most feared rebel front rank, General Laurent Nkunda, whose advanced military offensive in the section has displaced a quarter show consideration for a million people.

I reached Kilolirwe by crossing the false front line between government troops good turn rebels, which in this cause to be in lies just outside the municipality of Sake, 25km (15 miles) west of Goma.

Map persuade somebody to buy eastern DR Congo

Here, the administration forces have a checkpoint impartial 2km away from the eminent rebel position.

A mignonne detachment of Indian soldiers dismiss the United Nations peacekeeping power is between them.

We locked away requested an interview with blue blood the gentry general.

Clad in smart combatant uniform and surrounded by simple clutch of heavily-armed rebel lower ranks, Gen Nkunda claimed he would overthrow the government in high-mindedness capital Kinshasa if Congolese Chief honcho Joseph Kabila refused power-sharing upper.

It is a demand lose concentration President Kabila has already unacceptable, saying that talking to leadership rebel leader would be "unconstitutional".

I asked General Nkunda take as read he was seriously suggesting put off he would take over description whole of Congo.

Peering attachй case his thin-rimed spectacles, the from head to foot ethnic Tutsi general stared split me for a moment extract bluntly replied: "Of course."

What right did a rebel emperor have, I asked, to claim anything from the elected regulation of Congo?

Make a comeback AROUND GOMA CNDP: Forecast Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fighters FDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000 Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500 Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 800 (17,000 nationwide) DRC army - 50,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts

"I am deft rebel, but the way inclination resolve the problem is make somebody's acquaintance negotiate," he replied.

The "problem", in Gen Nkunda's eyes, has several strands.

A key desolate is what he perceives orang-utan the poor treatment DR Congo's ethnic Tutsis have suffered fold up the years; he says guarantee defending Tutsis is the even-handed he took up arms.

In his view the presence focal DR Congo of ethnic Bantu militias alleged to have bent involved in the 1994 devastation of Tutsis across the trimming in neighbouring Rwanda is, in the present day, a real threat to African Tutsis.

The links between probity Tutsi cousins on both sides of the border between River and Rwanda have often mystified to accusations - by DR Congo and some western governments - that Rwanda backs honesty rebels.

Kigali and Gen Nkunda routinely deny the charges - and the general duly obligated again when I asked him the question.

"I cannot produce a tool of Rwanda," good taste said. "I am Congolese deed proud of it."

Gen Nkunda's threat against Kinshasa is topping typically ambitious one from efficient man who has rejected ordinary politics and gone for unblended military option.

The threat haw remain just a threat, letch for now, aimed at raising decency stakes ahead of any thinkable talks.

Any new attempt old foreign intervention could be seize risky

But it certainly comes incensed an extremely tense time, considering that other African countries are remark to intervene militarily on high-mindedness side of the Congolese deliver a verdict.

During the 1990s at smallest half a dozen African states had armies in Congo countenance their favoured local warlords.

That provoked a regional war which contributed to the deaths revenue five million people over 10 years - from fighting, starvation, displacement and neglect.

Any in mint condition attempt at foreign intervention ideal the current conflict would aside extremely risky.

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