MORE than 40,000 tiered and hungry refugees have been found by international aid agencies during a sweep of rebel held areas in eastern Zaire.
The largest group of up to 30,000 refugees were found yesterday in Minova, a town about 20 km west of Sake. Mr Mike Williams, of Trocaire, who formed part of the international search team, said the group intended returning to Rwanda but worried about safety on the road home, part of which is controlled by a mystical warrior group, the Mai Mai.
But the Mai Mai had guaranteed a safe passage, Mr Williams said. Feeding stations will be set up today by the agencies. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is arranging transport from Sake back to Rwanda.
A second group of 7,000 refugees was found about 12 km beyond Minova, at Kilungo. A further 6,000 refugees entered Sake yesterday from Masisi, where they had fled to avoid fierce fighting between Tutsi rebels and Zairean troops several weeks ago.
Both the US and British military are taking further aerial reconnaissance photographs to ascertain how many refugees remain in eastern Zaire. Estimates still vary hugely from 700,000 (UNHCR) to 175,000 (US sources).
Meanwhile, AFP reported that rebel Tutsi sources had massacred groups of civilians, including children, at Bushwira, 20 km north west of Bukavu, and elsewhere.
The agency cited an anonymous source who said he had heard consistent reports from residents returning to Bukavu of the killings, although he could not be precise about dates or numbers.
There were also reports of a massacre at Chirnanga, 40 km to the south west, and at Caminyago, 20 km from Gimanga, the source said. But a local official accompanying relief workers said he had heard nothing of the massacres.
Reuter adds from Naples: The US Defence Secretary, Mr William Perry, responding to pressure from Canada, said yesterday the US was prepared to take part in a proposed military parachute drop of food to thousands of Rwandan refugees in Zaire.
Mr Perry cautioned yesterday that any multi national military effort led by Canada would have to get permission from Zaire, Uganda and Rwanda to send cargo planes in at low altitude to drop supplies in Zaire.
The UN has authorised a Canadian led multi national military relief effort, but so far there has been no agreement among the several dozen nations who might take part.
