Government to hand over General Nkunda

WESTERN PROVINCE RUBAVU - The Rwandan government has agreed to hand over the former head of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) General Laurent Nkunda to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This was one of the resolutions of a meeting of both countries which took place Friday at Serena Kivu Sun Hotel in Gisenyi. Nkunda was arrested last month by Rwandan authorities. Although the actual date for handing over Nkunda was not set, Rwandan foreign Minister Rosemary Museminari told reporters that a technical team will be set up to discus modalities of the transfer. “You all know that Nkunda is Congolese, he will have by all means to go back to his country, when and how he will be delivered to the Kinshasa authorities will be determined by the committee which will be set up soon by both parties to discuss the issue” she explained. Asked if the DRC government will not persecute General Nkunda for his rebellious action in North Kivu region since 2004, DRC foreign affairs minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba said Nkunda will not be mistreated unless if he is victimized by law,” he promised. During the two days meeting, a report of the current DRC- Rwanda military joint operation was presented to both Foreign Affairs Ministers. “According to the report presented to us, a lot has been achieved by the joint operation, many of FDLR bases were destroyed, some of the rebels were arrested, others killed and many have already returned back to Rwanda together with their families” Museminari told reporters after the two-day closed meeting. A joint communiqué signed at the end of the meeting welcomed the role of the UN peacekeeping force known by its French acronym MONUC. “The meeting was briefed by the MONUC Force Commander, who was satisfied by the disciplined nature of the joint operations and carried out in total conformity with international humanitarian law. The meeting took note of the role of MONUC in supporting the humanitarian activities in North Kivu and the provision of logistical support to the joint operations,” the communiqué reads. “The two delegations agreed on voluntary and forced disarmament and repatriation of ex-FAR/Interahamwe as opposed to relocation within the DRC,” it continues. Strengthening of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) was also one of the resolutions and DRC agreed to fully participate in its activities as well as sending its representatives to the organisation whose headquarters are in Gisenyi town. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been reluctant to send its three representatives to the Secretariat of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) like the other member countries Burundi and Rwanda, neither has it submitted its annual contributions to the organization for over two years. It was also agreed in the meeting that Embassies reopen before the end of March in both capitals in order to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring countries. Also in attendance was the Executive Secretary of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Amb. Liberata Mulamula. Ends