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| Africa: West |
| U.N. Boat Convoy Attacked in Congo |
| 2004-02-05 |
| Tribal fighters hiding on the banks of Lake Albert attacked a U.N. boat convoy going to investigate a reported massacre in volatile northeastern Ituri province, a U.N. spokesman said Thursday. There were no U.N. casualties in the attack, but the group’s mission was called off, said Leocadio Salmeron, spokesman of the U.N. mission to Congo. "Evinrude, don’t fail me now!" The convoy of U.N. speedboats was heading for the hamlet of Gobu Wednesday to investigate alleged human rights abuses in the area, three weeks after tribal fighters reportedly killed as many as 100 boat passengers on the lake, Salmeron said. Three weeks? Oh, right, it’s the UN. Continue... However, the U.N. human rights officers came under heavy fire from unknown assailants with high-caliber assault rifles, some four miles from the site of the reported massacre, Salmeron said. U.N. troops from Uruguay in the four-boat convoy "responded with heavy gunfire" for at least 15 minutes, then called off the mission "because the speed boats were not reinforced to protect United Nations workers," Salmeron said. Sent pleasure boats into a war zone when they needed gunboats. The U.N. mission was analyzing the situation, Salmeron said. It’s what they do best, right after tea parties and seminars. U.N. officials had been hoping to gather information on the reported killings that took place Jan. 15. Before the alleged massacre, two dozen Lendu tribal fighters had said they would protect an estimated 180 passengers traveling south from Mokambo, some 62 miles north of Bunia, in large wooden canoes. "Trust us, we’ll protect them" But survivors later said the fighters ordered the canoes to stop at Gobu, 25 miles south of Mokambo, killed most of the male passengers, raped some women and ordered them and the children to carry cargo looted from the vessels. Congo, still the Heart Of Darkness. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 Wonder if those magnificent Uruguayan troops have the cost of the bullets deducted from their UN pay. My questions: Which UN official got the kickback from the speedboat rentals? How much in hock the Uraguayans would be had one of the boats sank? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-2-5 11:24:03 PM |
| #6 Wonder if those magnificent Uruguayan troops have the cost of the bullets deducted from their UN pay. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-2-5 5:23:57 PM |
| #5 Look a UN Convoy of boats/trucks/mules. Lets shoot it up! Isn't that risky? Nah, safe as houses. Every body knows the Undies never shoot back. |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-2-5 4:49:13 PM |
| #4 AbuTrollSlicer! I stand at your side. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-5 1:02:40 PM |
| #3 Ship - LOL! Geez, with that imagination at your command, I'm gonna try to stay on your good side! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-5 12:21:11 PM |
| #2 "Evinrude, don’t fail me now!" Damn, LOL! We're running out of don't fail me nouns. I still have hope. Huskies don't fail me now Quinn on the run. Huskers don't fail me now Avid Nebraka fan using the football team sled to avoid the flyover cops. Hussies don't fail me now Lord Pimpeljack exhorting his trained mosquitos. Hassbeen don't fail me now faisal prays to Nasser |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-5 11:03:23 AM |
| #1 so the Uruguayans fought, at least for a while, eh? |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2004-2-5 10:45:05 AM |