The US-based Human Rights Watch on 20 March 2002 condemned the arrest and beatings of human rights activists and journalists by the Congolese rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On Thursday, the DRC government delegation walked out of the inter-Congolese dialogue, claiming that Rwanda and the RCD rebels had violated the country's cease-fire. IRIN spoke to Mwenze Kongolo about the suspension of Kinshasa's participation.

The commission of enquiry of the Belgian Senate on the exploitation of mineral resources of Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) on Friday heard the testimony of two researchers from the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), based in Antwerp, Belgium, on coltan trade in eastern DRC.

Raphaël Paluku Kyana, director of the Radio rurale de Kanyabayonga (RRKA) radio station, which broadcasts in North-Kivu province, was arrested on 9 March 2002.

The various factions present at the inter-Congolese dialogue talks in Sun City, South Africa, began tabling their proposals for rebuilding their country on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government on Tuesday proposed a leading rebel as a potential prime minister of a transitional government.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government negotiators at the inter-Congolese dialogue (ICD) in Sun City have demanded the expulsion of Rwandan and Ugandan security chiefs from the holiday resort.

A second volcano is showing signs that it may erupt in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, say volcano experts in the region.

A new radio network with a particular focus on peace-making efforts will be launched in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Monday, 25 February, to coincide with the convocation of the inter-Congolese dialogue in Sun City, South Africa.

The inter-Congolese dialogue talks bringing together government representatives, opposition groups, splintered rebel groups and civil society members - including tribal militia representatives, church groups, unions and women's groups - from all walks of life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo opened on Monday, 25 February in Sun City, South Africa. The talks are expected to last 45 days. The draft agenda for the meetings, as published by the Office of the Facilitator for the inter-Congolese dialogue, is the following:

Britain's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo accused government soldiers and police officers on Saturday of serious human rights abuses in the capital of the war-ravaged country.

An attack by Lendu militiamen last Friday morning on the Hema village of Kparnganza, north of Bunia town in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which, according to news organisations, left 200 people dead, constitutes yet another urgent warning that the security situation is deteriorating in the area and could get worse if something is not done to abate it.

Human Rights Watch expressed its disappointment at today's decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that a Belgian arrest warrant for the acting Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo violated international law.

Human Rights Watch expressed its disappointment at today's decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that a Belgian arrest warrant for the acting Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo violated international law.

The International Development Research Centre, Gender Unit is launching a competitive call for proposals for research investigating links between gender, globalization and land tenure in Latin America, Africa and Asia. All principal researchers and co-researchers must be citizens of developing countries. Up to eight grants will be awarded in April 2002 and the deadline for submission of applications is March 29, 2002.

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is launching a competition to support research on the changing balance between pub-
lic and private sector funding of research, and its implications for developing country governments and research institutions.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that its emergency operation for refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the Central African Republic has been extended to 15 April 2002.