rich east often prey on civilians. Thousands from the Ituri province have fled into neighbouring Uganda in recent weeks to escape fighting. In one settlement in Tche, peacekeepers found 120 people, mainly women and children, and left around 30 Pakistani soldiers there to protect them overnight, Boulierac said. Villagers told the U.N. troops that armed groups had increased their harassment of locals over the past 10 days. Tribal militias, former rebels and traditional warriors all roam eastern Congo, terrorising civilians and regularly clashing with each other and with U.N. troops. Some 50,000 people have been killed in ethnic violence in Ituri since 1999. The violence in the east and political squabbling in Kinshasa have cast a shadow on the transitional government which is meant to organise democratic elections by the end of June. However, the elections deadline is in doubt because of logistical problems and legislative delays.
