DRC: UN mission blames militia leader for attacks, gross rights violations

The blame for recent attacks on the United Nations Mission (MONUC) in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as well as summary executions of civilians, abductions and daily extortion, has been laid at the feet of a recently promoted militia leader, MONUC says. "Witnesses and complainants have accused Commander Bosco Ntaganda of committing gross human rights abuses. He is charged, among other things, with the summary executions of two people in Bunia in March 2003, kidnappings, rapes, barbaric acts on civilian populations, daily extortion of people's money and items in Ituri, illegal levying of taxes and other offences," MONUC said.