Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has spoken out about the root causes of decades-long insecurity in eastern DR Congo, where over 120 armed groups roam saying that the persistent security crisis – which has killed millions and forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee – is a result of what he called “illegal guns.” ALSO READ: Count on Rwanda's support to pacify DR Congo - Kagame For nearly three decades, the eastern Congolese provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri have known no peace, and remain the home of local and foreign armed groups wreaking havoc with regional implications. “The insecurity in DRC has to an extent been perpetuated by the presence of illegal guns that have been circulating within the country since independence,” Museveni said. “The guns currently being held by foreign armed groups have for all these years been killing Congolese and disturbing neighbours.” Three foreign armed groups, the FDLR from Rwanda, ADF from Uganda and RED-Tabara from Burundi, were recently asked to disarm by the East African Community (EAC). Since May this year, the Congolese government forces have been fighting with the M23 rebel group, whose attacks have led to renewed calls to end the insecurity in eastern DR Congo. ALSO READ: Lay down arms, all DR Congo militias warned Negotiations between the Congolese government and the multiple armed groups resumed on Monday in Nairobi, Kenya, under the EAC-led efforts to restore peace to eastern DR Congo. “The internal groups of Congo that came from the weakening of the state authority of Eastern DRC for a prolonged period can be handled by combining the political methods; dialogue and if necessary, the military method if there’s any group that is adamant and doesn’t want peace,” Museveni observes. The EAC leaders have resolved to deploy troops under a regional force, which is mandated with dealing with the armed groups. In mid-November, Kenyan troops arrived in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Uganda and Burundi also announced they would be sending troops soon. Museveni supports the joint regional efforts to deal with the DR Congo crisis. “These armed groups causing insecurity can be defeated if we harmonise efforts. If any group doesn’t respect the formula reached after the dialogues, the combined resources of East Africa will be brought down on them. No force can defy the combined efforts of East Africa,” he said. The EAC regional force has been tasked to deal with the multiple rebel groups, if they refuse to disarm voluntarily.
