[h=1]M23, Kinshasa deal collapses[/h]
By Risdel Kasasira
Posted Tuesday, November 12 2013 at 13:12
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Hopes to end decades of war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were Monday dashed when the Kinshasa government and the defeated M23 rebels failed to sign the much- awaited peace agreement. The peace negotiations failed after Kinshasa demanded changes to the draft agreement, officials said.
The signing of the peace deal has been postponed indefinably. The M23 were present but the DR Congo delegation did not even agree to sit in the same room with M23 delegates. But the just sent the ambassador to get the copy of the unsigned agreement, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said yesterday, adding that their meeting in Uganda was adjourned indefinitely.
While the DR Congo government insisted that the M23 make a public declaration that they renounced the rebellion, the M23 insisted on a comprehensive peace deal.
The meeting that started at 6:40pm, ended abruptly at 7:52pm when President Museveni adjourned it without a new date being scheduled.
The other issue of contention is whether the rebels who committed atrocities should be granted amnesty. The Congolese government, UN, US and EU official present at the meeting objected to the idea of blanket amnesty to M23 fighters.
Call to punish DR Congo human rights abusers
US envoy for the Great Lakes Region and DR Congo, Mr Russell Feingold has said members of the M23 rebel group who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity should not be given amnesty.
In an interview with the Daily Monitor at Imperial Golf View Hotel where the Congolese delegation and members of M23 were waiting to sign a peace deal on Monday, Mr Russell said the US and the international community supported Kinshasa on the proposal to deny amnesty to the alleged perpetrators of crimes against humanity.
The M23 rebels that have been operating in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, were flashed out of their Bunagana base by the national army, backed by a 3,000-strong special United Nations intervention brigade last week.
Following the defeat, the M23 rebels announced that their 20-month insurgency was over. The groups commander Sultani Makenga asked his troops to demobilise. About 1,633 M23 are currently under the protection of the Uganda army.
The agreement was expected to settle the fate of the M23 fighters who have crossed into Uganda. Uganda has refused to hand them over to DR Congo.
M23, Kinshasa deal collapses - National - monitor.co.ug
By Risdel Kasasira
Posted Tuesday, November 12 2013 at 13:12
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Hopes to end decades of war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were Monday dashed when the Kinshasa government and the defeated M23 rebels failed to sign the much- awaited peace agreement. The peace negotiations failed after Kinshasa demanded changes to the draft agreement, officials said.
The signing of the peace deal has been postponed indefinably. The M23 were present but the DR Congo delegation did not even agree to sit in the same room with M23 delegates. But the just sent the ambassador to get the copy of the unsigned agreement, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said yesterday, adding that their meeting in Uganda was adjourned indefinitely.
While the DR Congo government insisted that the M23 make a public declaration that they renounced the rebellion, the M23 insisted on a comprehensive peace deal.
The meeting that started at 6:40pm, ended abruptly at 7:52pm when President Museveni adjourned it without a new date being scheduled.
The other issue of contention is whether the rebels who committed atrocities should be granted amnesty. The Congolese government, UN, US and EU official present at the meeting objected to the idea of blanket amnesty to M23 fighters.
Call to punish DR Congo human rights abusers
US envoy for the Great Lakes Region and DR Congo, Mr Russell Feingold has said members of the M23 rebel group who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity should not be given amnesty.
In an interview with the Daily Monitor at Imperial Golf View Hotel where the Congolese delegation and members of M23 were waiting to sign a peace deal on Monday, Mr Russell said the US and the international community supported Kinshasa on the proposal to deny amnesty to the alleged perpetrators of crimes against humanity.
The M23 rebels that have been operating in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, were flashed out of their Bunagana base by the national army, backed by a 3,000-strong special United Nations intervention brigade last week.
Following the defeat, the M23 rebels announced that their 20-month insurgency was over. The groups commander Sultani Makenga asked his troops to demobilise. About 1,633 M23 are currently under the protection of the Uganda army.
The agreement was expected to settle the fate of the M23 fighters who have crossed into Uganda. Uganda has refused to hand them over to DR Congo.
M23, Kinshasa deal collapses - National - monitor.co.ug