Tribal fighters scale down presence in tense town

(3 Jun 2003) SHOTLIST ALL TOKO MATERIAL 1. Thomas Lubanga, Chairman of Rebel Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), arriving to cheering crowds 3. Militiamen holding back the crowd 4. Wide rooftop pan of rally 5. UPC fighters standing to attention 6. Close-up, UPC fighters at attention 7. Mid shot of Lubanga saluting militiamen 8. Wide shot of crowd 9. Wide shot of Lubanga speaking 10. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Thomas Lubanga, Chairman of Rebel Union of Congolese Patriots: "They came to destroy the peace in the Ituri District so that they can divide us." 11. Wide of UN vehicle near rally area 12. Close-up, UN peacekeepers from Uruguay pointing guns towards rally 13. Set up shot of Colonel Daniel Vollot, commander of UN troops in Bunia 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Colonel Daniel Vollot, Commander of UN troops in Bunia: "We can try to defend the people but we cannot demilitarise this city. So we have proposed a solution and they (the UPC rebels) are collaborating. No problem." 15. Wide of UPC fighters being dismissed 16. Close-up, UPC fighter with heavy machine gun 17. Close-up, UPC fighter with UN armoured personnel carrier in background STORYLINE Tribal fighters controlling the shattered Congolese town of Bunia were withdrawing to outlying camps in preparation for the arrival of a French-led emergency force, United Nations officials said on Tuesday. The pullout began as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for nearly tripling the number of UN troops to help end tribal fighting in and around Bunia, capital of the mineral-rich Ituri province. However, the withdrawal will not be complete as the fighters of the Union of Congolese Patriots plan to keep some 700 bodyguards and military police in the town to protect their leaders and maintain law and order. The UPC - drawn from the Hema tribal community - has 15-thousand troops deployed in and around Bunia. Their withdrawal is part of a ceasefire deal signed by five rival Hema and Lendu tribal groups and the Congolese government - all of whom have been fighting for control of Bunia. The deal commits the warring factions to demilitarise Bunia and confine their fighters to temporary quarters. The vanguard of the French-led force of some 14-hundred troops is expected in Bunia at the weekend following the May 30 authorisation by the UN Security Council. On Monday, UPC leaders criticised the scale of the French deployment, which follows weeks of tribal fighting. At least 100 Hema people were killed by Lendu tribal rivals at the weekend and UPC chief Thomas Lubanga warned the deployment would not end the killings in Ituri province, which is as large as Rwanda and Burundi combined. Lubanga repeated his warning at a rally in Bunia on Tuesday, during which he was cheered by loyal militiamen. Fighting between the Hema and Lendu tribes has killed over 500 people since early May. 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...