NEWS: UN: Congo militia 'grilled and boiled victims', page 1

United Nations peacekeepers have claimed that the "Patriotic Resistant Front of lturi", a rebel group in north-east Congo, committed cannibalism in addition to other atrocities such as rape and murder. Despite the end of the six nations war in 2002, fighting continues throughout the north-eastern regions of Congo.

www.smh.com.au
Militiamen grilled bodies on a spit and boiled two girls alive as their mother watched, United Nations peacekeepers charged on Wednesday, adding cannibalism to a list of atrocities allegedly carried out by one of the tribal groups fighting in north-east Congo.

"Those responsible for atrocities will be brought to justice," General Patrick Cammaert, the Dutch Navy commander of UN forces in Congo, told reporters in presenting a report on abuses allegedly committed by the Patriotic Resistant Front of Ituri.

Wednesday's UN report, summarising testimony from witnesses gathered over a year, said hundreds of people have been kidnapped by militias in the region and some have been killed by torture and decapitation. Those not killed are held in labour camps and forced to work as fishermen, porters, domestic workers and sex slaves.

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Despite progress, Africa has continued to be one of the most war-torn areas in the world. Government troops and rebels continue to fight it out despite rampant epidemics of disease, and lack of food.

The world has focussed alot on Africa in recent years but the problems just don't seem to go away. Will we ever see the end to violence in Africa?

Has the world lost interest in the region after decades of sustained attention?

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