The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) last week strongly condemned the persistent atrocities against innocent civilians by the FDLR or ex-FAR/Interahamwe in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

This was revealed in a statement released in Bujumbura on Monday, stressing ICGLR’s support for the ongoing joint DRC-UN military offensive against the rebels – operation Kimia II, in DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces.

Operation Kimia II against FDLR, a group that is largely composed of elements responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is jointly conducted by the Armed Forces of the DRC – FARDC and the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC).

"We urge the FDLR, ex-FAR/Interahamwe to immediately stop the violence, lay down their weapons and join the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reinstallation and Reintegration (DDRRR) process that will ensure their safe return to Rwanda,” says part of the ICGLR communiqué.

The regional body also commended efforts by the governments of Rwanda and DRC of committing to the Nairobi Communiqué, in particular with a view to creating conditions conducive for the repatriation of the rebel combatants.

"We call upon the entire international community to take necessary measures to prevent FDLR leaders living abroad from providing any financial, technical or other forms of support to their combatants operating in the DRC territory, including access to the international media which undermines the DDRRR process.”

The top most leaders of the rebel group have been freely living in different European capitals despite sanctions imposed against them by the United Nations.

Notable among these are Ignace Murwanashyaka the supreme leader of the FDLR who has lived in Germany for years from where he has been interviewed by different international media outlets.  

The ICGLR also reaffirmed its firm commitment and determination to continue working closely with the international community and other partners in the search for durable peace and stability in eastern DRC in particular, and the Great Lakes Region as a whole.

The regional grouping, established to serve as a platform to discuss regional security among 11 countries is based in Burundi and is headed by Liberata Mulamula.

Late last year, DRC Foreign Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba branded the FDLR a cancer bequeathed to his country by the international community because ever since they fled Rwanda, 15 years ago, they continued to wreck havoc - pillaging, killing, raping and breaking up families.

Commentators in the region see the rebel group as the root cause of the region’s insecurity and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe.

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