Congo condemns Belgian `terrorism'

A WAR of words has broken out between Belgium and its former colony the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) after the authorities in Kinshasa charged the Belgians with running "a terrorist state".

The renewed tension between Brussels and Kinshasa comes barely a year after the civil war which led to the overthrow of the Zairean dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko.

Links between the two countries since Zaire became independent in the 1960s have been dogged by mistrust. The latest row is being described as "the first serious crisis" between Brussels and the new government and reflects, according to some in the Belgian capital, the deeply unstable nature of the regime which has replaced Mobutu.

Accusations of Belgian "terrorism" surfaced last Sunday after the Congolese claimed to have seized a military "arsenal" of weapons from Belgian diplomats. The arrest of the diplomats and the seizure of assault rifles and hand guns at Kinshasa airport was broadcast on Congolese television and denounced as "a scandal and a provocation" by the Congo information minister, Ignace Mkeba.

The counter-claim in Brussels was that a "benign incident" involving the repatriation of weapons imported for the defence of Belgian citizens, based mainly in Lubumbashi, during last year's conflict was being "irresponsibly" portrayed as a plot.

The foreign ministry said negotiations for the return of two cases of guns (enough to equip four soldiers) to Brussels had been going on with Kinshasa for months.

But hopes that the "misunderstanding" could be ironed out faded yesterday as the Congolese Foreign Minister, Bizima Karaha, repeated the allegations. "These weapons were being held illegally; what was this arsenal doing in Lubumbashi?" he asked.

A Belgian spokesman insisted both sides knew about the weapons which belonged to four paratroopers sent to Lubumbashi before the city fell to Kabila's forces.

After the return to normal security the soldiers were withdrawn but pending permission to repatriate them, the guns were stored at the Belgian consulate in Lubumbashi.

The clash is symptomatic of a deep "malaise" in Belgo-Congolese relations. Belgium has become more outspoken in recent weeks concerning a number of "anti-democratic" decisions taken by the Kabila government, including the arrest in February of the opposition leader Etienne Chisekedi, the intimidation of human rights groups and the breakdown in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

The Congolese have replied by accusing Brussels of interference and of failing to deliver on promises of increased aid.

Sources in the Belgian government believe factions over which Mr Kabila has no control are intent on stoking up anti-Belgian feeling.

But Le Soir, the Brussels daily, yesterday raised questions about the behaviour of the Belgian government. It suggested Belgium had "welcomed" on to its territory Mobutist sympathisers linked to massive corruption, sabotage and repression.

Colette Braeckman, a leading commentator, said questions could also be raised about Belgian ambivalence to those involved in the Rwandan genocide who were now finding common cause with opponents of Mr Kabila's government.

The government is increasingly fearful that Laurent Kabila's grip on power is tenuous. "We just don't know who is pulling the strings. We don't know who is calling the shots. That is our main problem with Kabila," one source said.