M23 rebels dismiss UN deadline to disarm

[Dotworld]

Fighting around Goma has forced 6,000-7,000 people to flee their homes since July 14, UN says [AFP]​

01 Aug 2013

Peacekeepers' ultimatum giving M23 48 hours to leave Goma or to face force, expires on Thursday night.

Rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) face a deadline to lay down their arms, but they have dismissed the ultimatum as irrelevant.

The deadline, set by UN peacekeepers, is 4pm (1400 GMT) on Thursday.

"We consider that this measure does not concern us," Bertrand Bisimwa, the M23 chief, said.

He said his fighters were not in Goma or on the road heading south towards Sake where much fighting has taken place recently.

Goma is the capital of North Kivu province, which borders two of Congo's eastern neighbours, Rwanda and Uganda.

The UN on Tuesday threatened to use force against M23 rebels near Goma if they did not disarm within 48 hours.

The UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, said it was setting up a security zone around Goma to protect civilians. The security zone operation would not amount to an offensive targeting a specific armed group.

A UN source told Reuters news agency the operation would try to clear up small pockets of M23 rebels who remained near Goma after they were pushed several miles further north during recent clashes.

Rwanda said on Wednesday the decision of the UN had surprised African leaders and risked jeopardising peace talks

"We're worried that such a threat could have easily derailed the peace talks going on in [the Ugandan capital] Kampala," Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda's foreign minister, said at a regional summit.

Mushikiwabo, whose country is widely believed to support the M23 rebellion, said leaders at the summit in Nairobi expressed their strong support for negotiations held in Uganda between the DRC and M23 rebels.

M23 rebels captured Goma on November 20 last year, holding it for 10 days.

They left only when leaders from the Great Lakes nations of Central Africa promised fresh negotiations, opening the talks in Kampala.

The M23 rebels are demanding an amnesty and reintegration into the national army, as well as political concessions.

Rwanda denies backing M23.

It has also alleged that commanders of the newly deployed special force with a mandate to neutralise armed groups such as M23 have met with Rwandan Hutu rebels camped in eastern Congo's borderlands.


Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/08/2013815450156812.html

 

[Mutakyamirwa]

'The m23 considers the deadline given by the monusco not concerning them'. My eyes to see and my hears hear what is the next move. But I think the fire has been opted by the un against them.

 

[Mutakyamirwa]

'The m23 considers the deadline given by the monusco not concerning them'. My eyes to see and my hears to hear what is the next move. But I think the fire has been opted by the un against them.

 

[MTAZAMO]

Hivi Kagame kwanini hataki M23 wachapwe akisisitiza mazungumzo lakini yeye hataki mazungumzo na maadui zake?

 

[hekimatele]

Hivi Kagame kwanini hataki M23 wachapwe akisisitiza mazungumzo lakini yeye hataki mazungumzo na maadui zake?

He has permanent interests together with his close ally Kaguta.
If they have denied backing up M23, lets wait and see what will be the reaction when they face the real deal from UN peacekeepers.

 

[DALLAI LAMA]

These is last days for m23 who where depending on Rwanda supporters,it the time for m23 to be back at there mother dwelling to there Rwanda empere,time for propagander become errupting ahsante.

 

[babukijana]

It sound crazy when Rwanda deny that they dnt support m23.always theyre the first to say a word after m23 get ultimatum.

 

[VITA VYA KAGERA]

Hivi Kagame kwanini hataki M23 wachapwe akisisitiza mazungumzo lakini yeye hataki mazungumzo na maadui zake?

Ban ndio anatuwekea usiku!!, tungewachanganya wote, mkong'oto.

 

[Gama]

kama hawa M23 hawamhusu (Paulo) si akae kimya?!, napenda kupata true academic resume ya Paulo, nahisi hakwenda shule..........

 

[Atongwele]

Hivi Kagame kwanini hataki M23 wachapwe akisisitiza mazungumzo lakini yeye hataki mazungumzo na maadui zake?

Mkuu damu nzito kuliko maji kuna askari wake kule huyu mzee mjinga sana lakini mwisho wake waja.

 

[Dotworld]

Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo gestures during an interview with The Associated Press at the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, (File photo)​

Rwanda says U.N. ultimatum threatened Congo peace talks

Reuters
August 01, 2013


NAIROBI - Rwanda said on Wednesday the decision by a U.N. intervention brigade to forcibly disarm people in a strategic zone of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo had surprised African leaders and risked jeopardizing peace talks.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission said on Tuesday it was setting up a security zone around Goma, which briefly fell into M23 hands last year, and would disarm, by force if needed, anyone carrying weapons after a 48-hour grace period.

"We're worried that such a threat could have easily derailed the peace talks going on in Kampala," Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo told reporters at a regional summit, speaking in English.

Mushikiwabo, whose country is widely believed to support the M23 rebellion, said leaders at the summit in Nairobi expressed their strong support for negotiations held in Uganda between Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels.

Some diplomats, however, said the talks have stalled.

Rwanda denies backing M23. It has also alleged that commanders of the newly deployed special force with a mandate to neutralize armed groups like M23 have met with Rwandan Hutu rebels camped in eastern Congo's borderlands.

The M23 rebels began taking large swaths of Congo's volatile east early last year, accusing the central government of failing to honor a previous peace deal, and dealt a serious blow to the image of the U.N. MONUSCO peacekeepers.

The brief fall of Goma to the rebels prompted the formation of a more robust intervention brigade within MONUSCO.

MONUSCO said on Wednesday the security zone operation would not amount to an offensive targeting a specific armed group.

"This zone is to protect civilians," said Lieutenant Colonel Prosper Basse, MONUSCO's military spokesman.

Another U.N. source told Reuters the operation would try to clear up small pockets of M23 fighters who remained near Goma after the rebels were pushed several kilometers further north during recent clashes.

The latest flare-up in fighting between Congolese government forces and M23 earlier this month raised tensions again with Rwanda after Congo accused Rwandan specialist units of aiding M23 in the fighting.

"The renewed fighting raises concern over the commitment of the parties to the [Kampala] talks," Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni told the summit. "We want them to resume and conclude quickly."

The M23 rebels are demanding an amnesty and reintegration into the national army, as well as political concessions. Some delegates at the Nairobi summit said privately that a wide gulf still separated the two sides.

Rwanda on Tuesday dismissed U.S. charges it was supporting the rebellion, telling Reuters at the summit that leveling such accusations was unhelpful.

Congo's foreign minister, Raymond Tshibanda, said, however, that the fact that the conflict was taking place in the east, far from the capital, "showed the importance of external factors to the conflict."

-----

Source:
1. http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-rwanda-says-un-ultimatum-threatened-congo-peace-talks/1714694.html
2. http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/645638-rwanda-says-u-n-ultimatum-threatened-congo-peace-talks.html

 

[Dotworld]

Kampala & Kigali have been very pre-occupied in Congo fpr as along as i cant remember.Have their efforts made CONGO a better place?WHY not try this new solution.

I dont think they should be scared about this new option to the solution,thats the better way to force people to the discussion table.

 

[Dotworld]

Do not waste time with the Kampala talks. Beef up SADC forces with Angola ones as well The rebels supporters do not want to see the force show up for they are god fathers of the conflict.

DRC/UN/SADC needs to get serious. Otherwise they will be duped and fooled again and again by the Kampala/Kigali talk and talks. The experts already presented a report the population has suffered too much already, any lackadaisical approach by UN and SADC will keep the warlords causing mayhem.

It is hard to understand why so much attention is given to rebel supporters. Any regime/ force that gets involved to fight/resist the enforcement brigade should be dealt with like TZ took on Idi Amin and removed him from power. Mr Ban-Ki Moon needs to stay the course and very focused -else the regional war lords will confuse him and the envoy he appointed