THE Eighth High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recommended strengthening of MONUSCO Force Intervention Brigade.
Heads of State and government who met at
Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo have come with such a proposal for
MONUSCO (The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo) with a view to adapting it to the new
challenges in the fight against the negative forces operating in eastern
DRC.
A communique released yesterday by
Ambassador Innocent Shiyo from the Department of Regional Cooperation of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the
leaders are after maintenance of military pressure and enhancement of
operations against the armed groups, including in particular the ADF,
FDLR,Kamuina Nsapu and other armed and terrorist groups that destabilise
the DRC.
Under chairmanship of Republic of Congo
President, Mr Denis Sassou Nguesso, the high-level meeting sent a strong
and unequivocal message to all foreign disarmed combatants in the DRC,
including FDLR and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In
Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), that there is no other option than to return to
their countries of origin.
“The leaders called for completion of
repatriation without pre-conditions of the FDLR disarmed combatants that
are in the DRC transit camps of Kanyabayonga, Kisangani and Walungu, as
well as the M23 former combatants that are still in Uganda and Rwanda,
within the shortest time frame possible and not later than 20 October
2018 …in this regard, direct that the follow-up mechanism, comprising
the governments of the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, MONUSCO and the
guarantors of the PSC (Peace, Security and Cooperation) Framework, be
reactivated and propose modalities to accelerate the repatriation of the
disarmed combatants and their dependents,” Ambassador Shiyo said in the
final communique of the meeting.
The meeting that President John Magufuli
was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African
Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, called upon parties to ensure the
situation of women and children in the FDLR transit camps in eastern DRC
is addressed as a matter of urgency, including through encouraging
UNHCR, UNICEF and other humanitarian actors to explore measures aimed at
expediting their repatriation to Rwanda.
They called for action to be taken
against those responsible for crimes against humanity, through
investigations so that they are later brought to justice in line with
the PSC Framework, the ICGLR Protocol on Judicial Cooperation and
international law.
They noted that despite delays in its
implementation, the 31 December 2016 political agreement remains the
viable framework for ending the political crisis in the DRC and stressed
the need to pursue the implementation of confidence building measures
to create conditions conducive for the good conduct of the electoral
process.
Ambassador Shiyo unveiled that the heads
commended significant progress achieved in the voter registration
process (42 million voters, out of the 45 million estimated, registered
so far) and stressed the need for the early publication of a consensual
electoral calendar and a budget as per the 31 December 2016 agreement
and encouraged the government to ensure the passing of requisite
electoral legislation.
It further condemned acts of violence
against State agents, security forces and civilians, as well as human
rights violations in the Kasaїs, took note of the DRC Government’s
efforts to investigate reports of human rights violations and to
prosecute the alleged perpetrators, with the support of the United
Nations team of international experts on the Kasaїs. The move comes
after three Tanzanian soldiers serving with MONUSCO were killed between
September and October, this year.
The slain Tanzanian UN peacekeepers
include Private Mussa Jumanne Muryery who was killed by Allied
Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in September and Corporal Maselino
Paschal Fabusi and Private Venance Moses Chimboni who were killed this
month after they were attacked by a group of rebels 24km from the town
of Beni.
Tanzania has contributed uniformed UN
peacekeepers in various parts of the world since 1995. It currently
contributes peacekeepers in six UN missions in Africa and United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
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