UN Human Rights chief criticises DR Congo

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has sharply criticised the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo for obstructing the UN mission investigating the alleged massacres of refugees in the country.

She was speaking in Geneva, as the United Nations announced the suspension of its investigations following the detention of one its team in Kinshasa earlier this week.

Mrs Robinson said the action was part of a pattern of obstruction and there was no excuse for it.A U.N. spokesman said the team had been ordered to stop work until the Kinshasa authorities clarified the incident.

Correspondents say the suspension could be a first move towards cancelling the entire investigation.

The investigation -- set up to look into allegations of massacres of Rwandan Hutu refugees by the then rebel forces loyal to Mr Kabila -- has been plagued by a series of disagreements between the U.N. and President Kabila's government.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service