NAIROBI, 23 March 2007 (IRIN) - NAIROBI, 23 March 2007 (IRIN) - CONTENTS: DRC: Echoes of the past as Bemba guards fight government forces DRC: Army, police in rights abuses – report DRC-BURUNDI: Massacre survivors to resettle in US CAR: Birao empty as scared civilians stay away TANZANIA: Rift Valley Fever spreads, death toll up CONGO: Boost for anti-malaria effort KENYA-SOMALIA: Kenya asked to allow flight resumption

also see: DRC: Young offenders in jail with adult criminals http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70789 KENYA: Defying orders to surrender illegal guns http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70857 KENYA: Sarah: "I can stand up again …" http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70831

DRC: Echoes of the past as Bemba guards fight government forces

The international community has called for a ceasefire and dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where guards of the former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba clashed for the second day on Friday with government forces in the capital, Kinshasa.

Tension gripped Kinshasa throughout Thursday night, prompting some residents to flee the city centre. "A tank of the national army is circulating not far from here and shooting," a resident of Barumbu commune said. "We can see, through the window, guards of Bemba and the army shooting at each other."

In separate statements, the United Nations, which has over 18,000 peacekeepers and other officials in the DRC, and the European Union called for an immediate ceasefire. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the UN Security Council and the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC condemned the fighting.

Witnesses said the clashes, which were sparked off by an attempt by government forces to disarm Bemba's guards, were concentrated around the city centre, the administrative and commercial centres and the area where foreign embassies are located. They claimed that several bodies were lying on the streets, while scores of people had been injured. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70903

DRC: Army, police in rights abuses – report

Soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) national army and the police have been involved in human rights violations in the eastern district of Ituri, and are allegedly responsible for growing insecurity in North Kivu, according to the February 2007 UN Mission in DRC (MONUC) human rights assessment report.

It said Congolese army operations against militias had led to increasing allegations of human rights violations on civilians; such as torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, rape and looting.

MONUC said no legal or disciplinary action had yet been taken against the commander of the police officers and the soldiers who were implicated in the incidents. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70814

DRC-BURUNDI: Massacre survivors to resettle in US

The first group of Congolese ethnic Tutsis who survived the 2004 killings in the Burundi refugee transit border camp of Gatumba were flown out on Sunday for resettlement in the United States, a United Nations refugees agency spokeswoman said.

Thirty-five refugees boarded the flight in Bujumbura, the spokeswoman, Catherine Lune-Grayson, said. The United States has cleared 550 refugees for resettlement. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70773

CAR: Birao empty as scared civilians stay away

Fighting between rebels and government troops in northeastern Central African Republic has left the once bustling town of Birao virtually empty; with thousands of civilians, believed now to be hiding in the bush, too scared or unable to return to their homes.

The prefect of Birao, Col Mathieu Mobiliawa, said at least 600 homes were set ablaze in the latest clashes three weeks ago.

The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières, which had suspended its activities in Birao after fighting in March, returned there this week. Overall, one million people are believed to be affected by the widespread insecurity in the northeast. full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70862

TANZANIA: Rift Valley Fever spreads, death toll up

An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has killed 16 people and infected at least 100 in Tanzania, spreading to more regions, Health Minister David Mwakyusa said on Tuesday.

He said the central region of Dodoma was the worst affected by the mosquito-borne illness, which spreads from infected livestock to humans. The disease had also claimed lives in Arusha and Manyara regions, which border on Kenya, where a RVF outbreak killed at least 154 people between December 2006 and February. Up to 41 people are still receiving treatment in hospitals in Tanzania after developing symptoms of the fever.

Mwakyusa, a former university professor of medicine, told reporters on Monday in Dodoma, the political capital, that there was no vaccine for humans against the disease. Therefore, he said the public must ensure that before consumption meat was inspected by health authorities; and that care must be taken in handling livestock products, sick and dead animals. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70818

CONGO: Boost for anti-malaria effort

Japan is to provide US$1.7 million dollars to fund the second phase of a malaria control programme to prevent childhood diseases in the Republic of Congo where malaria accounts for at least 40 percent of all illnesses and about 34 percent of deaths, officials said.

The money will be channelled through the United Nations Children's Fund, whose local representative, Koen Vanormelingen, signed the funding agreement in Brazzaville on Tuesday with Japan's ambassador, Hiromi Okamoto. The first phase was also funded by Japan with about $2 million. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70849

KENYA-SOMALIA: Kenya asked to allow flight resumption Somalia's Transitional Federal Government has asked Kenya to allow the resumption of direct flights between Mogadishu and Nairobi. Kenya had suspended the flights, citing security reasons.

Somalia's ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Nur, told reporters that a delegation of Kenyan officials had inspected Mogadishu airport and would make recommendations on the flight resumptions.

The city and its airport have been subjected to increasing gunfire lately, with the latter coming under fire twice since January.

Nur denied reports that the recent fighting had forced 40,000 city residents to flee. However, he said elaborate security measures were in place to ensure peace returned. The government has 8,000 trained soldiers under arms. full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70859

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