CONGO INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT PASCAL LISSOUBA

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(15 Oct 1997) Eng/French/Nat • • APTV has an exclusive interview with President Pascal Lissouba of Congo whose whereabouts were uncertain when rebels attacked his presidential palace in Brazzaville on Tuesday. • • The rebels, led by General Denis Sassou-Nguesso already control much of the north of the country, as well as large parts of the capital Brazzaville. • • The Congolese government claims Angolan troops hired by the rebels have made an incursion into Congo via Cabinda, an Angolan enclave which borders Congo. • • Lissouba is conducting his business from an undisclosed location because he fears for his safety. • • Tensions are running high in on the border between Congo and Cabinda - an Angolan enclave - as Congolese rebels led by General Denis Sassou-Nguesso step up their campaign to win control of Congo. • • The army presence here illustrates that the war has moved closer to Congo's second largest city, the Atlantic port of Point-Noire, 180 kilometres (112 miles) south. • • These wounded soldiers in a hospital in Dolisie say they were injured during an infiltration of the border area by Angolan troops supporting Nguesso's rebels. • • Andre Bayekoula, a resident of the border town Kimongo, was wounded while driving his car. • • He says the car was later hijacked. • • SOUNDBITE: (French) • This I know. It's Angolans who have entered into Congo to provoke the Congolese. • SUPER CAPTION: Andre Bayekoula, Kimongo resident • • Bayekoula claims that rebel commanders he encountered spoke Portuguese, indicating that they were from Angola. • • A local governor is also convinced of Angolan involvement as he says he has seen troops and trucks moved in from Cabinda. • • SOUNDBITE: (French) • What's really happening is that Angolan troops - Cabinda is a province of Angola - it's Angolan troops who have invaded our territory. • SUPER CAPTION: Jean Pierre Ouvanguiga, Governor of Niari region • • Diplomatic sources in New York have said it appeared the Angolan army intervened after former Angolan rebels of UNITA crossed into the Republic of Congo to support • Lissouba. • • President Pascal Lissouba, whose whereabouts have been uncertain since his palace was attacked on Tuesday, has taken refuge in an undisclosed location. APTV journalists met him there. • • The beleaguered president said the rebels only know violence. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • Here I can explain it because they want absolutely to kill all our people, to kill our democracy. This is very important and well known. We know also that they are not able to win the elections and they want to take power for this you know - for this gentleman, this kind of people, power comes from the barrel of a gun. • SUPER CAPTION: President Pascal Lissouba (speaking in an undisclosed location) • • Lissouba and his men claimed to have found maps with Portuguese writing amongst the equipment of dead Angolan soldiers. • • The president said he would not be relying on any international assistance to save Congo from the rebels. • • SOUNDBITE: (French) • The Congo, which I incarnate, until the Congolese people decide otherwise, we will raise our voice and we will decide what we are going to do to save our country ourselves, but it's us alone - it's the Congolese who will save the Congo, it's not the international community. Don't count on them. • SUPER CAPTION: President Pascal Lissouba (speaking in an undisclosed location) • • Lissouba stressed that he does not want all-out war. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • I am not come here to battle and to struggle. I came here to help my country to develop themselves. • • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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