Kinshasa, 13 May 2009 - MONUC firmly condemns the attack on 9-10 May 2009 against the civilian population and the FARDC in Busurungi (20 km northeast of northern Hombo), in the territory of Walikale. MONUC dispatched a team on the ground as soon as rumours emerged of this attack, which caused the death of several tens of civilians.
An investigation is underway to find those responsible for these atrocities. Several sources and witnesses on the ground accuse the rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), who have already conducted attacks against several localities in recent weeks.
The inhabitants of the zone told the MONUC team which is on the ground that at least 35 civilian victims have been buried. These events, whose exact details are as yet unknown and unconfirmed, also involved the displacement of a great number of inhabitants of the locality of Busurungi, which has a population of some 15,000 people towards northern Hombo.
MONUC will make all possible efforts to come to the assistance of those wounded, and to ensure humanitarian aid for the victims of this attack.
Alan Doss, Special Representative of the Secretary General in the DRC, who is currently on official visit to the United Kingdom, stressed that “this latest series of attacks against civilians in Mbingi, Butalongola, Bitale and recently in Burusungi clearly show the need for reinforcing the capacity of the FARDC in order to ensure the protection of civilians.”