"African Leaders Agree to Send Military Advisers to Congo to Defuse Conflict"

The article touches on a severe conflict that has been going on in a village west of Goma, in Congo since August. Although, this conflict has been coming and going for the past ten years. There is a conflict in the Northern Burundi region in which rebel forces are attacking the Congolese Army and militias. The Rebel forces are led by General Laurant Nkunda and he is said to be threatening to the country. Recently officials in Southern Africa have stated that they would send military help to the people in this area and if the attacks persist, they would follow up by sending peacekeeping corps to balance the region if necessary. These serious confrontations have forcefully led 250,000 Congolese people to migrate from their homes and relocate in a refugee camp on the outskirts of the city Goma. The Mai-Mai militia who, and are linked to the Congolese government, have secretly attacked the rebels multiple times and about 500 people fled Ngungu. The militia is getting tired of the rebel attacks and is starting to become more aggressive. The President of South Africa believes that there is no solution to fixing the on-going problem. United Nations has intervened and implemented a truce between both opposing sides. African officials have been meeting to find a permanent solution to the problem and also make it possible for the people in this area to receive the proper aid that they desperately need. In the refugee camp there is a shortage of food and many people are becoming sick. A major problem is the outbreak of cholera, and aid workers are doing all that they possibly can to treat and nourish these struggling refugees. Altogether, these Congolese people have been exiled from their homes due to the ongoing violence and forced to migrate to refugee camps that are crowded and not suitable for proper living. Hopefully in the future these people will be sent back to their village where they can receive aid in peace and not be living in such a confined area.

Article By: Jeffrey Gettleman and Celia W. Dugger
Monday November 10, 2008
NY Times: A6