Zairean rebel advances raise fears of fresh refugee crisis

SPECTACULAR rebel advances in eastern Zaire have raised the prospect of a renewed refugee crisis in the region, after up to 170,000 refugees fled their makeshift camps at Tingi Tingi to avoid fierce fighting.

The Zairean rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, claimed yesterday that his forces had taken the strategic town of Lubutu and overrun Tingi Tingi, home to Hutu refugees who have been pushed progressively eastwards by the fighting since October.

The continuing humanitarian emergency in eastern Zaire was raised yesterday by the President, Mrs Robinson, on the first day of her visit to Rwanda. Speaking in Kigali, she called for a comprehensive approach which would include a political, and not just a humanitarian, response.

Mrs Robinson said an international conference on peace, security and development under the aegis of the UN and the Organisation of African Unity would be a "sensible initiative". She added "Such a conference could look at a stability pact for the region, which would draw together the, many disparate elements of its problems."

Mr Kabila claimed yesterday his troops are now just 15 miles from Kisangani, Zaire's third largest town and the last navigable port on the Zaire river. Most observers predict that if the rebels force the Zairean army out of Kisangani, the 33 year old regime of President Mobutu Sese Seko will collapse.

Aid workers told Reuter that all the refugees had left the camp, fearing a rebel attack, and drifted into the bush where tens of thousands of other displaced persons were believed to be hiding out.

Even before Tingi Tingi was overrun, doctors said up to 40 refugees a day were dying of hunger and disease. The rest are said to be in a severely malnourished state, having survived by foraging for food in the forests for up to five months.

A total of 57 expatriate aid workers from the United Nations and other agencies left Kisangani and Tingi Tingi for the Zairean capital Kinshasa, saying insecurity linked to the rebel advance made their work impossible.

Lubutu 200km south east of Kisangani, is the last town on the road from Bukavu and boasts an airstrip.

The Rwandan vice president, Mr Paul Kagame, yesterday repeated his denial of Zairean claims that his country is backing the rebels. Speaking after a one hour meeting with Mrs Robinson, Mr Kagame said Zaire should concentrate on its own problem instead of blaming others.

Speaking at a press conference in Goma, Mr Kabila said the refugees had been "liberated" from being held hostage by President Mobutu's mercenaries and former Rwandan soldiers. He added that he thought the bulk of the refugees were heading towards Kisangani by pot.

We can't erect another camp, and if the refugees all return to Tingi Tingi they can be helped there while a humanitarian corridor is opened to allow them to return home," he said.

The rebel leader added that his Tutsi led forces, which have already seized about one fifth of Zaire, would not agree to a truce because it would play into the hands of Mr Mobutu.

The rebels want Mr Mobutu personally to attend fledgling peace talks in South Africa mediated by President Nelson Mandela before they will agree to discuss a ceasefire.

Mr Mobutu, now in France ailing with prostate cancer, has decided to delay his return home for a few days to pursue his search for a solution to the crisis, an aide said on Sunday.

The refugees in eastern Zaire are believed to include large numbers of Interahamwe militia and former Rwandan army soldiers who are afraid to return to Rwanda because of their role in the 1994 genocide.