The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has urged armed groups in DR Congo to disarm and embark on a demobilization and reintegration process, saying it was “time for the violence to end.” He also urged the political and community leaders “to put an end to hate speech and incitement to violence.” Guterres renewed his call on Saturday, May 6, at the 11th high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DR Congo and the region held in Bujumbura. ALSO READ: DR Congo: Ugandan contingent deploys troops to Mabenga “Despite our collective efforts, more than a hundred armed groups – Congolese and foreign – still operate today and thus threaten the stability of the entire Great Lakes region,” he said. Guterres said the presence of the armed groups like the FDLR in eastern DR Congo “fuels recent mistrust and tensions between countries in the region.” The presence of these armed groups – M23, ADF, FDLR, CODECO, RED-Tabara and others – leads to humanitarian tragedies and serious human rights abuses, including sexual violence, he noted. ALSO READ: Disarm or be removed, foreign militias in DR Congo warned ALSO READ: Inside the secret DR Congo-FDLR pact “I reiterate my appeal to all armed groups,” said the UN boss, “Lay down your arms – immediately – and join the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration process.” The Bujumbura summit, chaired by Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye, was also attended by African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, and Faustin-Archange Touadera of Central Africa Republic, as well as Rwanda's Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente, who represented President Paul Kagame. Guterres said the UN and MONUSCO, its mission in DR Congo, would continue to support regional initiatives, including the East African Community Regional Force. “I welcome the consensus of actors in the region around non-military measures aimed at the disarmament, return and reintegration of foreign armed groups in their country of origin,” he noted. “The fight against impunity is another important step. Perpetrators of cross-border and international crimes must be brought to justice.” The meeting is organized with the support of the Guarantor institutions of the Framework agreement, namely the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The meeting reviewed progress and challenges in the implementation of the commitments under the Framework signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February 2013. The meeting also focused on the full implementation of the decisions made in the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes, as well as the harmonization of both processes.
