 . . . .
 . . .
January 16, 2001 Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo William Maruka dashed through the forest underbrush heedless of the leaves and branches that slapped his head and arms as he ran. The gashes and cuts carved into his legs by thorns and sharp tree limbs went unnoticed. His only concern was to escape from his pursuers. He could hear their shouts only a few dozen meters behind him, and, every few seconds, a bullet would zip by his head or prune a few leaves off of a nearby tree. Maruka did not run alone. Other members of his rebel group rushed through the foliage along side him. About half a dozen of them had managed to stay alive. Their escape through the jungle was too chaotic for him to know the exact number. When the pursuit began, they had
|
|