A CEASEFIRE by Tutsi rebels in eastern Zaire was expected to come into force last night, increasing hopes that the plight of over a million Rwandan Hutu refugees in Zaire might be eased.
Meanwhile diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis continue. United Nations, European Union and Organisation of African Unity representatives all met Rwandan government leaders yesterday, and a regional summit meeting is due to take place in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, today.
A United States envoy, Mr Richard Bogosian, is travelling to Rwanda and Zaire to hold talks with both governments, the State Department said yesterday.
The political talks deal mostly with a proposal to establish humanitarian corridors" allowing Rwandan Hutu refugees, who have fled from their camps on Rwanda's border as a result of the recent fighting. to return to Rwanda.
The Hutus have so far refused to go back to Rwanda, fearing reprisals for the 1994 genocide of up to a million Tutsis in which many of their number took part.
The leader of the Banya mulenge rebels, Mr Laurent Kabila, announced that a three week ceasefire would begin at 5 p.m. yesterday. But he warned that fighting would resume immediately if Zaire did not agree to the ceasefire.
He told Voice of America radio by telephone that the ceasefire was in response to the disquiet of the international community. [It will] allow the International Red Cross to evacuate the refugees who want to return to their original countries," he said.
There was no Zairean response to the offer yesterday evening.
Zaire is officially committed to the recapture of the territory it lost in the fighting with the Banyamulenge, but it is doubtful whether its disorganised and demoralised army has the capacity to mount an effective counterattack in the short term. It could therefore accept the ceasefire as a tactical short term measure.
The fighting which has caused the present crisis began when ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge rebels - many of whose ancestors came to Zaire over 200 years ago - took up farms against Zairean forces. This followed an ultimatum from local Zairean authorities to either leave the country or be killed.
Zaire has accused Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda of aiding the rebels in the war. All three countries have denied this, but Rwandan army soldiers have been seen in Zaire by many eye witnesses.
Yesterday the rebel leader, Mr Kabila, also promised to make airports near the eastern Zairean towns of Goma and Uvira available to the aid agencies. Uvira was taken by the rebels more than a week ago, and Goma is now believed to be also under rebel control.
The rebel claim to have seized all of the city of Goma could not he confirmed. Here in Gisenyi, very occasional gunfire could be heard from Goma, but there did not appear to be any fighting.
Meanwhile an Organisation of African Unity (OAU) peace mission in Rwanda started talks yesterday aimed at securing a ceasefire in eastern Zaire between Zairean troops and rebels as well as the repatriation of the Rwandan Hutu refugees.
The mission, led by the OAU assistant Secretary General, Mr Anatole Tiendrebeogo, held talks yesterday with President Pasteur Bizimungu and his Prime Minister, Mr Pierre Rwigema.
A summit meeting of regional leaders will take place in Nairobi today, but Zaire will not be present. The embattled Zairean Prime Minister, facing domestic disapproval because he is part Tutsi, has refused to attend as long as Rwandan troops are in Zaire. The President of Zaire, Mr Mobutu Sese Seko, who has been convalescing from a cancer operation in Switzerland, yesterday flew to the south of France.
Reuter adds from Kinshasa: A special session of Zaire's cabinet yesterday banned demonstrations indefinitely and authorised troops to open fire on anyone caught looting or engaging in vandalism.
Demonstrations against the war in the east of the country had been planned in Kinshasa today.
