The 2006 election in the Democratic Republic of Congo was supposed to usher in a new period of peace and stability for the beleaguered, exhausted Congolese people. Instead, it made one of the country's most intractable problems worse.
UN Commander Resigns as Thousands Flee in Congo
Published October 27, 2008
Today, the commander of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo resigned as rebels encroached on the UN compound in Goma. Violence erupted in eastern Congo yesterday when rebel forces captured a Congolese army base.
Civilians have fled to the UN compound to protest inadequate protection against the rebels. UN peacekeepers fired on rebels in eastern Congo, near the border of Rwanda.
Rebel attacks have forced nearly 250,000 Congolese from their homes in the last six weeks.
Worldfocus correspondent Michael J. Kavanagh of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting speaks with Martin Savidge from the UN headquarters in Goma, where he was among the 100 people trapped inside the compound.
Read more on the background of the crisis in Michael’s on-the-ground report: Protesters pelt UN compound in Congo.
Contributor Michael J. Kavanagh reported for Worldfocus last year on the crisis in eastern Congo. He's currently based in the DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa.
Journalist Michael J. Kavanagh reported on the Crisis in Congo for Worldfocus last year.
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Michael J. Kavanagh is a journalist based in Kinshasa and New York who reports on conflict and post-conflict development issues around the world, with a special focus on Africa. His radio and...
