ZAIRE: SHABA PROVINCE: REBEL LEADER LAURENT KABILA SPEECH

Описание: (14 Feb 1997) Swahili/English/Nat

Zairean rebel leader Laurent Kabila has addressed about ten-thousand people in the eastern Shaba region in his first speech since his troops chased government forces out of the area less than two weeks ago.

Kabila has said he may have to attack the largest remaining refugee camp in eastern Zaire to drive out Rwandan Hutus allied with the government's army.

He said his forces could quickly take Zaire's third-largest city, Kisangani.

But Kabila said he would prefer to negotiate for the resignation of ailing Zairean President Sese Seko Mobutu.

The chairman of Zaire's rebel alliance, Laurent Kabila, was born in the Shaba province of eastern Zaire and has a long history of resistance against President Mobutu's regime here.

The crowd in Kalemie, on the shores of Lake Tanganika, gave Kabila a warm homecoming after the town fell to the rebels about two weeks ago.

But the issue of Tingi Tingi refugee camp is still in the forefront of Western minds.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Tingi Tingi is not only a refugee camp. It is a military barracks."
SUPER CAPTION: Laurent Kabila, Chairman of the Alliance for Democratic Congo

Kabila fired up the crowd by addressing the issue of Mobutu and his "palace in the jungle" in the Gbadolite region.

SOUNDBITE: (Swahili)
"Sese Seke is losing his troops. They do not want to fight for him. We will go all the way to Gbadolite."
SUPER CAPTION: Laurent Kabila, Chairman of the Alliance for Democratic Congo

A heavy military presence guarded the stadium gathering.

Kabila enjoys a lot of popular support in his home province.

The crowd was about ten-thousand strong, made up mainly of young men who didn't flee the rebel offensive.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Those leaving... they fled when it was war time here, so they went to Zambia, to Tanzania - that is a common situation. Now those who fled from Ulvira to Tanzania - they are coming back to their land. They are there, so everyone is going there, fearing because of the propaganda about missionaries, intervention from outside forces. That's why they are fleeing."
SUPER CAPTION: Laurent Kabila, Chairman of the Alliance for Democratic Congo

The rebel leader asked for a show of hands to see who would be willing to join his growing military movement, during the alliance's continuing conscription campaign.

His support is growing as more and more towns and areas in Zaire come under Kabila's control.

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