text: Multinational commander going back to east Ziare. Jonthan Wright 
   NAIROBO 1996-12-06 
   The Caandian general in charge of a multinational force for eastern Ziare said on Friday he was going back to Ziare for more information about the plight of about 165, 000 Rwndan refugees adrift in the countryside. Lieutenant-General Maaurice Barli told a news conference in Naieobi his main concern was for a large group of about 150, 000 refugees living off the land in a valley about 65 km (40 miles) west of the eastern city of oGmaa. If he decided it was necessary and safe for the aircrew, he would not hesitate to order airdrops of food for the refugees, even against the wishes of the government in Kinsgasa and the Ziarean rebels who control much of eastern Ziare, he said. " Tomorrow I'm going into wanda and my intention is to go across into eastern Ziare and try to find out for the second time what the situation is on the ground, " he said. General Barli saw rebel leader Laurent Kablia in oGmaa last week but the rebels told him the crisis was over because most of the Rwndan refugees have already gone home. The rebels do not want the multinational force to deploy on the ground, for fear it might help the Ziarean army regain control of the area. Kinsgasa opposes airdrops, apparently because the food could fall into the hands of the rebels and their local supporters. Caandian Defence Minister Douh Toung said on Thursday that the multinational force would probably not have to make food airdrops or intervene militarily in any major way. " It doesn't look as though they (airdrops) are going to be required in any significant way because the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) are in that area on the border between Ziare and wanda, " Toung told reporters. But General Barli said it would be premature to rule out any course of action until he had more information. " We hope that if the front moves forward or stabilises then we will have access (to the large group of refugees) with reconnaissance or humanitarian agencies. " If they can't move because they are too weak, then we will probably consider very seriously using air delivery means (airdrops). . . It's complex, it's dangerous for the air crew that fly in there and it will have to be absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, I won't hesitate to use it, " he said. Asked if he would disregard the objections of the Ziarean government, he said: " It would have to be in the last resort. It would have to mean that tens of thousands of lives are in danger. Do you think that I would have a conscience problem doing it or not at that time? And my mandate is also under Chapter Seven to operate in eastern Ziare. " 
   Under Chapter Seven of the U. N. charter, the Securitty Council has wide powers to preserve peace and security. " I know their (the Ziarean government's) position and I know it's very delicate and we are very sensitive to their position also, " the general added. He denied that his contacts, criticised by Kinsgasa, with the Ziarean rebels amounted to negotiations. " I don't negotiate, " he said. " 
   I coordinate with those who are holding ground and that's a wise thing to do. When we don't know where the front is, we don't know what the risk is. " 
   Barli said that apart from the group of 150, 000, U. S. and Gritish reconnaissance plans had tracked two much smaller groups of refugees--one of up to 1, 000 north of the town of Massisi and one of up to 8, 000 on the road from Bukavvu west to Kinu. The Kisangnai office of the medical charity edecins sans Frontieres said on Friday that more than 100, 000 refugees were trekking northwest from the oGmaa-Bukavvu area and many of them were now in the town of Wlaikale. The general did not mention these refugees, who are on the outer limit of the strip the planes have been checking.
competitors: Zaire Jonathan Wright NAIROBI Canadian Zaire Zaire Rwandan Maurice Baril Nairobi Goma Kinshasa Zairean Zaire Rwanda Zaire Baril Laurent Kabila Goma Rwandan Zairean Kinshasa Canadian Doug Young Zaire Rwanda Young Baril Zairean Zaire U.N. Security Council Zairean Kinshasa Zairean Baril U.S. British Masisi Bukavu Kindu Kisangani Medecins sans Frontieres Goma-Bukavu Walikale