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| UN officials in the DRC have said the M23 rebels are well-armed and are growing in number [Reuters |
Military force not key to crisis
in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who urges strengthened dialogue.
Ki-moon’s stance contained in a message to
leaders of the Great Lakes Region was delivered on his behalf by Abou Moussa,
Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for
Central Africa (UNOCA), to the mini-Summit of the International Conference on
the Great Lakes Region, in Kampala on 7-8 September.
“Military deterrence alone will not resolve the
current crisis. I strongly encourage continued and strengthened high-level
dialogue at the bilateral and regional level aimed at finding a durable
solution, including through addressing the underlying causes of the conflict,”
Ki-moon said.
“I am deeply
concerned at the continuing reports of external support to the M23, and call
for an end to all such support without delay,” he added.
A militant group, the M23, which the UN and Human
Rights Watch said is funded by the Rwandan government, is accused of
perpetrating widespread violations including killings and displacement of
civilians in the eastern DRC region. Meanwhile, Rwanda continues to deny the
allegations.
Mr. Ban Ki-moon said he remain deeply concerned about
the security and humanitarian conditions in eastern Democratic Republic of the
Congo resulting from the activities of the 23 March (M23) mutineers, as well as
other national and foreign armed groups.
“The humanitarian situation remains dire, with over
226,000 people displaced in North Kivu alone in the past several months while
over 57,000 Congolese have crossed into Rwanda and Uganda,” he observed.
The UN senior diplomat believes worsening security
and humanitarian conditions continue to pose a threat to stability in the wider
Great Lakes region.
However, there has been calm in military activities
by the M23 in North Kivu since July.
But Mr. Ki-moon said the situation remains very
fragile, and “I call for the group’s immediate and complete cessation of all
destabilizing activities.”
He once again condemned the violence and serious
human rights violations committed by the M23, as well as other armed groups,
against civilians. He said these violations need to be thoroughly investigated
by relevant institutions and the perpetrators held accountable.
The United Nations said it stands ready to provide
support, as appropriate, in cooperation with the African Union and regional and
international partners as initiatives are being taken to address the situation
in DRC.
Its Secretary-General said he intend to convene a
high-level meeting on the situation in eastern DRC on 27 September in New York in
the margins of the UN General Assembly.
“This event would provide a platform for further
dialogue aimed at reinforcing regional efforts to find a peaceful resolution to
the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Ban Ki-moon explained.
He announced the Under-Secretary-General of the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, is visiting the region
from 9 to 15 September in preparation for the high-level meeting.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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