I’m not involved, says Bemba

KINSHASA – Former Democratic Republic of Congo rebel chief Jean-Pierre Bemba denied on Tuesday any responsibility for alleged war crimes in neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR).

Bemba issued the denial after prosecutors at the International Criminal Court in The Hague announced an investigation into hundreds of rapes and other atrocities in the CAR in 2002 and 2003. Although the court declined to identify any suspects, the CAR authorities in 2004 had named Bemba, whose rebel group had been invited into the country to quash a coup attempt in late 2002.”I’m totally clear of any responsibility in this affair,” Bemba told AFP by telephone from Portugal where he is receiving medical treatment.”We only did one thing, and that was to intervene at the request of a democratically-elected president who was the victim of an attempted coup,” he said.Bemba stressed that he had been the first to call for a UN probe when allegations of rape against his men first surfaced.”Until this day, I have never received any news from the United Nations, nor any proof that would implicate the troops sent to the Central African Republic,” he added.Nampa-AFPAlthough the court declined to identify any suspects, the CAR authorities in 2004 had named Bemba, whose rebel group had been invited into the country to quash a coup attempt in late 2002.”I’m totally clear of any responsibility in this affair,” Bemba told AFP by telephone from Portugal where he is receiving medical treatment.”We only did one thing, and that was to intervene at the request of a democratically-elected president who was the victim of an attempted coup,” he said.Bemba stressed that he had been the first to call for a UN probe when allegations of rape against his men first surfaced.”Until this day, I have never received any news from the United Nations, nor any proof that would implicate the troops sent to the Central African Republic,” he added.Nampa-AFP