afrol News, 11 June - A UN Security Council delegation met today with Congolese President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa (DRC) in a bid to jump-start a solid political process for peace in Africa's troubled Great Lakes region. Mr Kabila promised to enhance the work to establish a new transitional government.

The Security Council's mission to Central Africa arrived in the Congolese capital Tuesday and met today with President Kabila and other members of his government, according to a UN spokesman in New York.

The discussions covered the expected establishment of the transitional government and the remaining obstacles for reconciliation in Congo Kinshasa (DRC), as well as the volatile situation in the eastern part of the country - chiefly in the Kivus and the war-torn Ituri district.

The Kinshasa government, which never has been elected, is to give place to a new transitional government that includes the many warring parties in the country, according to the Congo peace plan. This transitional government, in turn, is to prepare for democratic elections in the war-ravaged country.

President Kabila however has been criticised for dragging out the process to install a transitional government. On the other hand, armed operations are still going on in large parts of the country. The Congolese President is said to have promised the UN delegation to enhance the work to form a new government.

The UN spokesman said that grave human rights violations as a direct consequence of the ongoing fighting and impunity were also discussed, as Security Council members stressed their constant attention to - and support for - the Congo's political process, and the relations with neighbouring countries.

Earlier Wednesday, Security Council members heard a briefing on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern Congo due to the ongoing fighting in Kivus and Ituri, according to the spokesman. The delegation repeated its demand for the immediate cessation of fighting in the Kivus, for the withdrawal to positions previously agreed, and for a meeting between the parties involved.

Tomorrow morning, the mission is scheduled to leave for Bunia, where it will meet with the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUC), the newly authorised multinational emergency force led by French troops, members of the Ituri Pacification Commission and representatives of all the Iturian communities.

Meanwhile, MONUC announced plans to convene a meeting today of delegates from rival armed groups in Bunia - in part to explain the purpose and mandate of the multinational emergency force that has been deployed to the town to help end weeks of bitter ethnic fighting.

The peacekeepers reported that the current strength of the multinational force is about 250 personnel, and deployment is continuing to increase through the week.

MONUC described the situation in Bunia as "quiet but volatile," adding that, while no fighting has been reported between Hema and Lendu militias, further clashes could not be ruled out.

Human rights crisis in Ituri
While welcoming the arrival in Bunia of advance elements of the French-led emergency force, the world body's leading expert on human rights in Congo today said she was still concerned about the dramatic humanitarian situation unfolding throughout the country's war-ravaged northeast.

The UN's Geneva-based Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Congo, Iulia Motoc, said she remained concerned about the fate of the civilian population - especially women and children - and the dramatic humanitarian situation which the civilians found themselves in throughout the whole district of Ituri as well as in volatile neighbouring areas in the north and south of Kivu.

In a statement today, Ms Motoc said that a lot of information concerning massive violations of human rights, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and even acts of genocide had been brought to her attention. And while she hoped to visit Ituri herself to follow-up on those reports, she vowed in the meantime that investigations would be undertaken to "determine the authors of these serious crimes and to bring them to justice."

The Special Rapporteur reiterated her call to the warring Hema and Lendu groups and their allies to end the conflict and to stop instigating ethnic hatred. She urged them to cooperate with the UN and the multinational force. "The only viable solution for this problem could not be reached by crimes or fighting, but by a political dialogue and respect for human rights," she said.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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