DRC should stop harbouring negative armed groups and embrace peace

Editor, NOW THAT a peace deal between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 Movement is in the works, it seems there is no more excuse for the international community, as well as Kinshasa, to downplay the FDLR scourge. It’s important to remember that this militia group crossed into DRC after orchestrating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda nearly 20 years ago, which took the lives of more than a million innocent people. Let’s further be reminded that the FDLR have continued to wreak havoc in Eastern DRC since then and has remained a pain in the neck for Rwanda. The main focus and priority on the M23 as a panacea to solve the Eastern Congo crisis has always been somewhat of a mystery. Now, the greater issue should be dealt with. Diyana, Kigali *********************** Editor, WHAT WE have witnessed in the Congo in recent months is nothing but an attempt to wrestle a peace initiative from the ICGLR member states, with the intention to leave them as little more than hapless spectator, then probably the playing of the old divide-and-rule card, arranging to have the Africans fight each other, maybe to exhaustion, safe in the knowledge that there are always those with a vision deficit who can always be manipulated. I hope we’ll soon finally see peace prevailing in that dangerously volatile part of the Congo, but this can only be possible if Kinshasa stopped playing host to negative militia groups that continue to threaten regional stability and genuinely take the path of peace. Peter DM, Kigali Reactions to the story, “Joint SADC-ICGLR summit calls for FDLR disarmament” (The New Times, November 6); and Joseph Rwagatare’s article, “Kabila’s hour for peace or endless war” (The New Times, November 5).

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DRC should stop harbouring negative armed groups and embrace peace