Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - Fighting in North Kivu (eastern Democratic Republic of Congo) continues between the national army and loyal military deserters to General Bosco Ntaganda, wanted by the Congolese government due to "indiscipline" and hit by a warrant of arrest issued in 2006 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for recruiting child soldiers. "Ntaganda is from the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), a former Rwandese armed group and now transformed, at least officially, in a political party, and is even a member of the Presidential Majority (PM)" explains a note sent to Fides Agency from Peace Network for Congo.
The clashes began in response to strong pressure from the ICC and the international community to the Congolese President Joseph Kabila, to proceed to the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda.
Recently a new group, the Movement of March 23 (M23), led by Colonel Sultani Makenga, also a member of the CNDP appeared on the scene. Theoretically, this new armed group claims new talks with the government, to complete the implementation of peace agreements signed, on 23 March 2009 in Goma, and claims to be independent from Bosco Ntaganda. "In reality, it is certainly a strategy of the same CNDP to open more fronts, hindering the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda, and at the same time, to put the government in new difficulties, in view of new military claims (promotions to higher grades) and policies (some ministerial post in Kinshasa or at a provincial level)," said the note.
At the same time, taking advantage of this situation, the rebels of the Rwandese Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have intensified their attacks against the people, slaughtering in the last month, over 250 people. "The FDLR threat is serious and should not be underestimated and must be addressed with an appropriate strategy: a military solution is clearly insufficient and extremely dangerous for the local population," say the missionaries of Peace Network for Congo.
Rwanda offers its cooperation to find a peaceful political solution to the new crisis in Kivu, proposing itself as a mediator between the Congolese government and the new rebellion of the M23." Rwanda’s offer raises the suspicion that Kigali is the origin of the new armed group M23. This suspicion seems to be confirmed by the fact that Kigali also proposes a new joint military operation in Kivu against Rwandese rebels of the FDLR, still active in the province," said the note. "Kigali seems to forget the negative results of previous military operations and deliberately fails to recognize that only an inclusive inter Rwandese dialogue can solve the problem of the FDLR" continue the missionaries. "dialogue between the Government of Rwanda and the FDLR in view of a political settlement and reconciliation among Rwandans is the only way to disarm the FDLR. But Kigali is not accepting it to maintain its presence in Kivu, in view of the exploitation of vast mineral wealth of the area: coltan, cassiterite, gold, oil and natural gas " concludes the document. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/5/2012)
