(27 Jun 1997) Natural Sound
Congolese opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, was taken away from his home Thursday by Congolese soldiers who broke into his Kinshasa house.
A police commander said Tshisekedi had not been arrested and had been taken to see President Laurent Kabila.
Fifty Congolese soldiers surrounded Etienne Tshisekedi's house Thursday in Kinshasa and broke into the bedroom where Tshisekedi and his family had locked themselves.
The soldiers whisked Tshisekedi, his wife and three adult children from the house and into jeeps.
It was not clear where they were taken.
But a police officer who identified himself as Commander Kongulu told a crowd of about 200 Tshisekedi supporters, gathered outside, that their leader was not under arrest and had been taken to Kabila's home.
This incident comes a few hours after Tshisekedi gave a political speech in front of students of the University of Kinshasa where he said he believed he and Kabila would soon come to an understanding about Congo's future.
Tshisekedi's speech had been conciliatory, but Kabila has banned all political activity since ousting dictator Mobutu Sese Seko last month.
Tshisekedi, repeatedly jailed because of his opposition to Mobutu, has accused Kabila of establishing a new dictatorship.
Last month, Tshisekedi unsuccessfully demanded Kabila appoint him prime minister.
At the scene, Jacques Mbila, a Tshisekedi aide, said the opposition leader had been approached earlier in the day by soldiers who said they were to escort him to a meeting with Kabila.
Tshisekedi had declined to follow them saying he was too busy to see the president.
Another supporter, Kongulo wa Tshimanga, said the soldiers, who came to Tshisekedi's home late Thursday, told him that other top members of his party had already been arrested.
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