(13 Aug 1998) French/Nat
Rwanda's government has called on international agencies to intervene and save lives of Tutsis being persecuted by the Congolese authorities, reports state-run Radio Rwanda.
Congo accuses Rwanda and neighboring Uganda of sponsoring a 10-day rebellion seeking to topple President Laurent Kabila.
Congolese rebels earlier ruled out negotiations with the embattled Kabila.
The rebels say they were pressing on their insurgency, with 60-thousand fighters marching on the capital, Kinshasa.
Anti-government forces in the streets of the eastern Congolese city of Goma -- which they captured last week.
The rebellion against Congo's (formerly Zaire's) President Laurent Kabila has been going on for ten days now.
The Congolese government accuses Rwanda and neighboring Uganda of involvement -- both deny this.
But here at least it's a contrast to November 1996, when fighting for Goma between rebels and the then-government forces was heavy and looting widespread.
Shops in the sprawling town are well-stocked and banks open.
Life under the rebel military administration appears nearly normal.
Residents say no shots were fired and the change of power had been peaceful.
In their makeshift army headquarters rebel commanders identify themselves as former
officers in the Congolese military and of what was Kabila's Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo -- now without him.
They say they were fed up with Kabila's corruption, mismanagement and misuse of power.
And they reject any claims of foreign backing.
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The revolution that we are in the midst of -- and please be clear with this message -- is not a foreign revolution it is a national revolution. It is Congolese who have carried it (the revolution) out, they have felt that they have been abandoned, they have realised that what Mobutu did is no different from what Kabila is doing now."
SUPER CAPTION: Deo Balezi, Goma activist, Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo
They claim support from across the whole country.
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The west (of the country), the east the north and south, everybody is involved in this movement."
SUPER CAPTION: Deo Balezi, Goma activist, Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo
The government and the rebels are both claiming sometimes contradictory successes in this area.
I'm a soldier, not a politician, says the rebel commander, although that's been said many times in Africa.
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"I have no political ambitions, truthfully I tell you, no political ambitions. I'm a military man and will remain a military man, I'm in the middle of liberating this country whose people have been blinded."
SUPER CAPTION: Jean-Pierre Ondekane, rebel commander
It's difficult to verify military claims here -- but the rebel commander says he has enough troops, the support of the people and an unstoppable drive to overthrow Kabila.
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