REBELLION ERUPTS IN ZAIRE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993                   TAG: 9302020165
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: KINSHASA, ZAIRE                                LENGTH: Medium
REBELLION ERUPTS IN ZAIRE
Foreigners and Zaireans packed riverboats and roads Monday to flee fighting between mutinous soldiers and forces loyal to President Mobutu Sese Seko which has reportedly claimed 1,000 lives.
Mobutu's troops sealed off central Kinshasa and barred access to opposition party strongholds after putting down a weekend rebellion by regular army troops who refused to accept new 5-million zaire notes.
The violence has spiraled into a power struggle between troops loyal to Mobutu and those supporting Zaire's democracy movement.
Jean Joseph Mukendi, spokesman for Prime Minister Etienne Tshisekedi, said, "The estimates that we have allow us to confirm there were at least 1,000 dead. They were mostly soldiers."
It was not possible to confirm the death toll.
Zaire's impoverished economy has collapsed, but authoritarian ruler Mobutu has refused to cede control of the treasury, military or other key institutions to the transitional government of Tshisekedi, his archrival. Mobutu named the government under pressure from the United States, France and other aid donors.
Mobutu has accused Tshisekedi of treason, saying he caused the violence by urging soldiers to refuse to accept the new currency. The troops revolted after shopkeepers refused the notes.
A statement read on state TV Monday night on behalf of Mobutu said anyone refusing to accept the new notes would be guilty of treason, and that new 10-million zaire notes would soon be introduced. Ten million zaires would be worth about $4.
State TV broadcast Monday a ban on public meetings and gatherings of more than five people. Kinshasa Gov. Bernardin Mungul Diaka also announced a ban on newspapers advocating "hatred, violence or revolt."
Presidential guards blocked off the Gombe quarter, where hundreds of foreigners have sought refuge in ambassadorial residences.
About 500 Belgian, French and Italian refugees left Kinshasa on a riverboat Monday and crossed the Congo River to Brazzaville, Congo, under escort of presidential guards.
More than 1,000 foreigners were evacuated by Sunday night.
The unrest is the worst since Belgium and France sent soldiers in September 1991 after riots by unpaid troops triggered evacuation of 20,000 foreigners.
Keywords:
FATALITY

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB