(JED/IFEX) – On 18 July 2004, Deo Namujimbo, a Goma-based correspondent for the international news agency Syfia, based in Montpellier, France, was forced to evacuate his family to Bukavu and go into hiding to “escape from soldiers who [were] searching for him”. The soldiers are reportedly aligned with rebel General Laurent Nkunda and are led […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 18 July 2004, Deo Namujimbo, a Goma-based correspondent for the international news agency Syfia, based in Montpellier, France, was forced to evacuate his family to Bukavu and go into hiding to “escape from soldiers who [were] searching for him”. The soldiers are reportedly aligned with rebel General Laurent Nkunda and are led by a commander known only as “Claude”. Goma is the main city in North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
On 15 July, Namujimbo published an article in the online edition of “Syfia Grands Lacs” entitled, “Rebels impose reign of terror in Minova”. Minova is a village located 50 km south of Goma where General Nkunda and his men have entrenched themselves after forces loyal to the government retook control of the city of Bukavu in recent fighting.
In his article, Namujimbo reported that, “For the past month and a half, the people of Minova [. . .] have lived in terror, harassed by General Laurent Nkunda’s men, who are now based in the region. Extortion and rape have become common. Everyone hides in the hills at night.” The journalist’s report was picked up by several Kinshasa-based newspapers, notably appearing in the 17 July edition of the daily “Le Potentiel”.
Contacted by JED representatives in Goma, neighbours of Namujimbo said that since 16 July, soldiers who are reportedly close to Nkunda have been questioning local residents about “a journalist from the Mushi tribe who recently moved into the neighbourhood.” Several area youths also told JED representatives that during the night of 17 July, the same soldiers were seen patrolling the neighbourhood streets until about 3:00 a.m. (local time), and that they had reportedly been asking local residents when they expected the journalist to return home.
