Press Review of 11 December 2007

Mushake's recapturing by Laurent N'kunda's troops is the dominant news in today's local press.

"Mushake once again under Laurent N'Kunda's control," reports Le Palmarès, quoting UN source in North Kivu.

"Mushake is a strategic stronghold the regular army was determined to recapture to proceed with northward offensive," says Le Palmarès.

General Nkunda maintains "besides Mushake, his troops have also re-conquered Karuba, approximately 40 kilometres west of Goma," further says Le Palmarès.

In other news, L'Avenir reports, "Jean Pierre Bemba has ruled out any possibility of returning home for fear of his life in an interview to the paper Continental; Louis Michel, for his part, does not share the argument that the former Vice-President shall return to the DRC provided his security is provided by the international community."

Le Potentiel for its part highlights "the gross violations of human rights in DRC denounced by human rights bodies both in Kinshasa and the provinces."

Congolese human rights activists, as far as concerned, "appealed to the international criminal court to prosecute those who commit sexual crimes in eastern DRC," says Le Palmarès.