Soldier Defends Conduct of Bemba's Troops but Prosecutors Reject His Account

This week, a Congolese soldier who served in a contingent accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity defended the discipline of the group, whose commander-in-chief Jean-Pierre Bemba is on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). He said the accused's fighters were not even present in some areas where prosecutors say the crimes were committed.

'Witness D04-45' said soldiers of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) were not deployed in the towns of Bossemb?l? and Bozoum during December 2002. The witness said this was after prosecuting lawyer Eric Iverson showed him documents stating that the accused's fighters committed crimes in the two towns. He also said no soldiers from his group were deployed in towns of Boy-Rab?, Fou, and Mongoumba, ?which are also areas where prosecutors say Mr. Bemba's soldiers committed crimes.

The witness was a member of the MLC's 28th battalion, one of the two that Mr. Bemba sent to the Central African Republic (CAR) in October 2002 to help the country's president, Ange-F?lix Patass?, fight insurgents. Prosecutors allege that the accused's fighters committed rapes, killings, and pillaging, and he failed to stop or to punish them. He denies the charges.

'Witness D04-45', who was the only witness to testify this week, said he was not aware of any crimes committed by his colleagues.

"Did the Movement for the Liberation of Congo commit any rapes, murders, or pillage at all?" asked Mr. Iverson.

"I can not answer that question in general terms. However, regarding my group, I did not learn of any such cases," replied the witness, whose testimony started on Wednesday last week.

'Witness D04-45' testified that rebel forces led by Fran?ois Boziz? were the perpetrators of crimes in the town of Point Kilom?tre 12 (PK12), where they had their headquarters before they were driven out at the end of October 2002.

The witness also stated that if acts of violence had been carried out, General Andr? Mazzi of the Central African armed forces (FACA) "would have arrested them and prevented them from carrying out further crimes" because he was their operations commander. He stated that upon arrival in the conflict country, the Congolese troops were "integrated" into the national army for joint operations commanded by Central African officers.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201303251281.html

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