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Congo victim of 'discrimination' Congolese flee rebels for Uganda
(about 4 hours later)
The world is not sending enough troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo because of discrimination, a former top UN official has told the BBC. Some 13,000 people have fled into Uganda from a rebel advance in the Democratic Republic of Congo in just two days, the UN refugee agency says.
There is "inbuilt discrimination when it comes to Africa", said Jan Egeland, pointing to the world's response to crises in the Middle East and Europe. Some of those who crossed the border said their relatives had been killed by the rebels of General Laurent Nkunda.
He is one of 16 former top officials and leaders to sign a letter calling on the EU to send troops to DR Congo. His forces declared a ceasefire last week but say this does not apply to operations against foreign militia and they are now attacking Rwandan Hutus.
Some 250,000 people have fled recent fighting in eastern DR Congo. Earlier, the EU was urged to send forces to stop the DR Congo fighting.
Sixteen former top officials and world leaders sent a letter to EU heads of state, saying they were best placed to intervene because it would take too long for the UN to send reinforcements.
See detailed map of the area One of those who signed the letter, former UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland, told the BBC that the world was not doing more because of "inbuilt discrimination when it comes to Africa".
Some 250,000 people have fled their homes because of the recent upsurge of fighting in eastern DR Congo.
'Stream'
The UNHCR said that 10,000 people had arrived in Uganda on Thursday alone.
"The stream of new arrivals continues. More and more people are arriving and we need to transport them away from the border to a safe place immediately," said the UNHCR's Yumiko Takashima, reports the AFP news agency.
FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts DR Congo: Key facts They have been arriving in Ishasha about 50km (35 miles) north-east of the rebel-held town of Rutshuru but they are to be moved away from the border.
The UN this month said it would send an extra 3,000 troops to DR Congo, on top of the 17,000 already there - the world's largest peacekeeping force.The UN this month said it would send an extra 3,000 troops to DR Congo, on top of the 17,000 already there - the world's largest peacekeeping force.
See detailed map of the area
But Mr Egeland said this was not enough for DR Congo, which is almost the size of western Europe.But Mr Egeland said this was not enough for DR Congo, which is almost the size of western Europe.
He referred to diplomatic peace efforts as a "seminar".He referred to diplomatic peace efforts as a "seminar".
"There was not this indecisiveness in the Balkans, Iraq or the wider Middle East," the former UN aid chief told the BBC's Network Africa programme."There was not this indecisiveness in the Balkans, Iraq or the wider Middle East," the former UN aid chief told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
'Painful memories' Gen Nkunda's Tutsi-dominated forces say they are attacking Rwanda Hutu fighters, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.
Some 5,000 people have fled into neighbouring Uganda from the latest rebel advance, Amnesty International researcher Andrew Phillip told the BBC from the border town of Ishasha, on Congo's border with Uganda, is about 50km (35 miles) north-east of the rebel-held town of Rutshuru.
Some of those who crossed the border told aid workers that their relatives had been killed by the rebels.
FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts DR Congo: Key facts
The rebels of General Laurent Nkunda declared a ceasefire last week and withdrew from some of their positions but say this does not apply to operations against foreign militia.
The Tutsi-dominated forces say they are attacking Rwanda Hutu fighters, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.
The UN has accused all sides of mass killings and rape in the latest fighting which resumed in August, with rebels advancing on the regional capital, Goma.The UN has accused all sides of mass killings and rape in the latest fighting which resumed in August, with rebels advancing on the regional capital, Goma.
"To those of us who have worked on such issues for some time, current events bring back painful memories of Rwanda and Srebrenica," reads the letter, also signed by the former leaders of the Czech Republic (Vaclav Havel), South Africa (FW de Klerk), Ireland (Mary Robinson) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and sent to EU heads of state."To those of us who have worked on such issues for some time, current events bring back painful memories of Rwanda and Srebrenica," reads the letter, also signed by the former leaders of the Czech Republic (Vaclav Havel), South Africa (FW de Klerk), Ireland (Mary Robinson) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and sent to EU heads of state.
"It is increasingly clear that the EU is best placed - through its standing battle groups - to play this role and deploy now," they wrote."It is increasingly clear that the EU is best placed - through its standing battle groups - to play this role and deploy now," they wrote.
'Mass grave''Mass grave'
On Wednesday, the Congolese government rejected an offer from India to supply extra peacekeeping troops.On Wednesday, the Congolese government rejected an offer from India to supply extra peacekeeping troops.
They already account for about a quarter of the UN force in DR Congo, known as Monuc.They already account for about a quarter of the UN force in DR Congo, known as Monuc.
The UN force in DR Congo is its largest mission in the worldThe UN force in DR Congo is its largest mission in the world
A government spokesman refused to give reasons why the Indian offer was declined.A government spokesman refused to give reasons why the Indian offer was declined.
An estimated five million people died in the DR Congo conflict, which officially ended in 2003.An estimated five million people died in the DR Congo conflict, which officially ended in 2003.
But some say the root cause of that war - the presence of Rwandan Hutu rebels in DR Congo - was never addressed.But some say the root cause of that war - the presence of Rwandan Hutu rebels in DR Congo - was never addressed.
"The DR Congo is the greatest loss of life at our watch," Mr Egeland said."The DR Congo is the greatest loss of life at our watch," Mr Egeland said.
The UN says it is investigating reports that a mass grave containing 2,000 skeletons has been discovered in Bukavu, south of Goma, according to the AFP news agency.The UN says it is investigating reports that a mass grave containing 2,000 skeletons has been discovered in Bukavu, south of Goma, according to the AFP news agency.
Justice Minister Luzolo Bambi said the graves had been found on land previously owned by the RCD former rebel group, reports the AP news agency.Justice Minister Luzolo Bambi said the graves had been found on land previously owned by the RCD former rebel group, reports the AP news agency.
The RCD has told the BBC it has no links to the alleged graves.The RCD has told the BBC it has no links to the alleged graves.
UN spokesman Madnodje Monouba said it was investigating whether the bones were of animal or human origin.UN spokesman Madnodje Monouba said it was investigating whether the bones were of animal or human origin.
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