WORD ON THE STREET:Your views on eastern Congo crisis

Heavy fighting continues in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between government troops and rebel forces, despite repeated calls for an immediate halt to hostilities and respect for January’s ceasefire agreement CHARLES KWIZERA talked to people in Kigali about what they make of the renewed fighting. “All people should rise up and pray for the Congolese people because they have suffered enough; its high time God served innocent Congolese.”Ernest Gashumba, pastor “The war in Congo has claimed a lot of innocent lives. People should sit down and identify where the problem is and solve it amicably.” Ruzindana Jackson, driver “They say when two elephants fight, the grass is always the one that suffers, but these big people fighting for power in Congo should consider the average person who is getting the repercussions and solve whatever problem is making them fight.”Abdul Nsengiyumva, waiter “The Congolese government is accusing our government of supporting General Nkunda and yet the accusations are false and they are forgetting the period they have been able to harbor the Interahamwe and the FDLR. I think it is high time Congo expelled FDLR.” Ruth Natukunda, student “Mistrust between the rebel groups and the government has taken the biggest part in the whole thing and my view is that they should burry their differences and seek solutions which will bring back total peace for those people in the region.”Silver Mugabo, shopkeeper “When a neighbor is in trouble, you have to stay warned because you never know as the next morning it would be on your door step. So people in Rwanda should be on alert rest those bad elements visit our territory.”Frank Majoro, baker