DRC war may cost Uganda billions The International Court of Justice has ruled that Uganda must pay compensation to the Democratic Republic of Congo for looting during the 1998-2003 war. A government spokesman said DR Congo will seek up to $10bn in compensation. The Hague-based court also found Uganda responsible for human rights abuses. DR Congo has accused Uganda of invading its territory and massacring civilians. Several African states were involved in the war, which left 3m people dead. Uganda has said its actions were meant to protect national security along its borders. DR Congo brought the case saying its sovereignty had been violated, and demanding compensation for plundered minerals and other resources. 'Terror' "We are very happy that international law has finally listened to our case," Congolese government spokesman Henri Mova Sakanyi told Reuters news agency. He added Kinshasa would seek between $6bn and $10bn in compensation from Uganda. Court rules allow states to negotiate compensation between themselves. The judges said the amount sought by DR Congo was appropriate. ICJ president Shi Jiuyong told the court Ugandan troops had "created an atmosphere of terror pervading the life of the Congolese people". Uganda pulled its troops out of eastern DR Congo in 2003, but Kinshasa says its neighbour still supplies arms to Ugandan warlords who continue to steal the country's natural resources of gold, diamonds and timber. This year, the United Nations accused Uganda and Rwanda of violating an arms embargo by shipping weapons across DR Congo's borders. Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/4541126.stmPublished: 2005/12/19 11:38:09 GMT© BBC MMV
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