Rwandan rebels for forceful disarmament

WESTERN PROVINCE RUBAVU — Members of the Great Lakes Security Council have called for a forceful disarmament of the ex-FAR and rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDRL) operating within borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) if they fail to voluntarily disarm. This was one of the resolutions reached at a recent security meeting at Serena Kivu Hotel. The meeting brought together members of the Great Lakes Security Council among them presidential envoys from Rwanda and DRC. It also attracted representatives from the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), European Union (EU) and a special envoy from the US. The meeting aimed to examine security threats in the Great Lakes region and find a way forward according to the Nairobi November 9/ 2007 accord. The meeting was also meant to examine the steps taken by both DRC and Rwanda in stopping the violence in the neighboring DRC and in the Great Lakes region. The two rebel groups are largely made up of elements responsible for 1994 Rwandan genocide. The EU’s Special Representative for the Great Lakes region, Roland van de Geer, said that armed forces on DRC territories were largely to blame for insecurities in the region. “We all know FDRL is causing insecurities not only in DRC but also in the Great Lakes region. We shall therefore ask them to put down weapons and come back to their country Rwanda or we put hands together to disarm them forcefully,” said Roland, also the current chairman of the Great Lakes Security Council that oversees the Nairobi November 9 treaty. He explained that peace and security, both in the DRC and in the Great Lakes region, can only be achieved by putting an end to the threat created by foreign and national armed groups in the DRC and their political organizations, as well as complete disarmament of all paramilitary groups marauding in that region. Seraphin Ngwej, DR Congo’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region also concurred with Roland, saying disarmament was vital for the wellbeing of all the peoples of the Great Lakes region. He noted it would enable the legitimate institutions of the DRC to devote their energies to rebuilding their country which has been destroyed by recurring wars. “What we want is peace and FDRL out of our territory. They should peacefully put down weapons and come back home [Rwanda] because they have done enough damage on our territory.” Ambassador Richard Sezibera, Rwanda’s Envoy to the Great Lakes said use of force will be inevitable if the armed forces refuse to disarm peacefully. “They should come back home and participate in the country’s development like other Rwandans,” Sezibera said. He added that the Nairobi November 9 /2007 treaty between Rwanda and the DRC is meant to find a concerted and lasting solution to the security problems in the region. He called upon all the parties involved to strictly honor their commitments and the resolution taken at a meeting. Dr. Sezibera urged the UN, EU, AU, and other stake holders to ‘strongly and actively support the efforts to implementing these commitments to restore security, stability and development.’ “Forceful measures will be used if efforts towards voluntary disarmament fail,” Sezibera further stressed. He said that DRC government, with the support of MONUC as stated by the November 9 treaty will launch military operations, as a matter of urgency, to dismantle the ex-FAR/Interahamwe as a genocidal military organization in the DRC. Ends