CONGO-RWANDA FRONTIER BRIDGES; PRIESTS WALKING BACK FROM BRIDGE AFTER BEING REFUSED ADMISSION TO RWANDA; WHITE MERCENARIES TALKING TO RWANDA BORDER GUARDS; RWANDA GUARD GIVE MERCENARIES A CIGARETTE; PAKISTANI REFUGEES CROSS BORDER INTO RWANDA CARRYING BELONGINGS; REFUGEES EATING MEAL.




Initials RM/V/MGT/ES



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Background: MAJOR JEAN SCHRAMME'S WHITE MERCENARIES AND REBEL KATANGAN TROOPS ARE CONTINUING THEIR OCCUPATION OF BAKAVU, CAPITAL OF THE CONGO'S KIVU PROVINCE. MOST OF THE REFUGEES WHO THE MERCENARIES ESCORTED TO THE CONGO-RWANDA FRONTIER BRIDGE ARE NOW IN BRUSSELS, THE BELGIAN CAPITAL.

THE MERCENARIES AND KATANGANS AT BAKAVU HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED TO HAVE WON VICTORIES AGAINST THE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT TROOPS WHO ADVANCED ON THEM FROM TWO DIRECTIONS. MEANWHILE, A SPOKESMAN FOR RWANDA HAS SAID THAT ANY ATTEMPT BY THE MERCENARIES TO ENTER RWANDA FROM THE CONGO WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF AGGRESSION.

THE STATEMENT ISSUED IN PARIS SAID: "RWANDA WILL WELCOME IN A HUMANITARIAN SPIRIT THE BLACK AND WHITE REFUGEES COMING FROM THE CONGO AND WILL CLOSE ITS FRONTIERS TO THE MERCENARIES AND KATANGAN TROOPS WHO HAVE BETRAYED THEIR PEOPLE AND THE INCONTESTABLE CONGOLESE AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED BY GENERAL MOBUTU".

SOME 120 REFUGEES, MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ARE NOW IN BRUSSELS AFTER BEING ESCORTED TO THE RWANDA BRODER BY THE MERCENARIES, AFTER A MARCH OF FIVE WEEKS, MOST OF IT WITHOUT ADEQUATE FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES. MANY DENIED THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN AS HOSTAGES BY THE MERCENARIES, BUT OTHERS SAID THEY HAD BEEN "FORCED" OR "INVITED" TO JOIN THE MERCENARY COLUMNS.

PRESIDENT MOBUTU OF THE CONGO HAS GIVEN THE MERCENARIES 10 DAYS TO SURRENDER "OR FACE SPECTACULAR PUNISHMENT". THE MERCENARIES LAST WEEK GAVE HIM UNTIL THE 20TH OF AUGUST TO HAND OVER POWER TO MR TSHOMBE, THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER, WHO IS NOW A PRISONER IN ALGIERS.