Washington, DC — Continuing violence backed by Rwanda and Uganda in Ituri and Kivu provinces, as well as in other areas could "derail" the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warned representatives of the Congo government Friday.
They are in the United States pressing for more help from the international community. "Pressure must be exercised on Rwanda and Uganda so that these two countries understand that Congolese people have agreed to reconcile and work together in a transitional government," said Vital Kamerhe, the DRC's commissioner-general in charge of peace in the Great Lakes region.
Kamerhe, who is the government's chief negotiator as the DRC seeks an end to its civil war, and DRC Information Minister, Kikaya Bin Karubi, were speaking at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC.
"Nothing can justify the continuance of war," said Kamerhe. The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monuc) needs to be increased, he said."They will see who is doing what, who is creating trouble and that will dissuade anybody who wants to continue the war in the area."
Monuc currently has a force of 4,309 uniformed personnel, 455 military of whom are observers, 3,803 troops and 51 civilian police. These are supported by 549 international and 636 local civilian personnel. The Security Council plans to increase this number to a total of 8,700 military personnel and have its presence extended eastwards where much of the continuing violence in the DRC is taking place.
Kamerhe pointed to several destabilizing actions by Uganda and Rwanda, including what he said was a "new rebellion" operating under the name of the Union of Patriotic Congolese (UPC), fostered by Uganda and led by three Ugandan generals in Ituri province.
In North Kivu, he said, a Rwandan-created "new militia" has resulted in a "war by proxy." This conflict was "a little bit different," because the militia was composed mainly of Hutus released from Rwandan prisons with two missions: to continue war under another guise, and to work in gold and coltan mines for Rwanda. It can use them as a "pretext" to say Hutus in Congo still "constitute a threat to their security."
"Rwanda and Uganda must be told that it's useless to create new militias," said Kamerhe.
Meanwhile, said Kamerhe, Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Mouvement de Liberation du Congo (MLC) is now sending his troops into the Central African Republic. He also backed UN charges that in the Eastern Congo MLC troops and their ally, the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie-National (RCD-N), were now engaging in cannibalism.
Under an agreement reached with DRC president Joseph Kabila last year Bemba is to participate in a transitional government as vice president. His group will have 11 ministerial positions and the presidency of the national assembly with 94 deputies "so we don't understand why they would be sending troops to the Central African Republic," said Kamerhe.
He did not indicate whether or not he considered the political arrangement reached with the MLC leader was still viable. The DRC government isn't cracking down on MLC representatives in Kinshasa. Kamerhe says "reconciliation" is his government's watchword. "All Bemba's deputies are living at the Intercontinental Hotel [in Kinshasa]; they come and go as they wish."
Integration "of all the military officers of all parties" and continuation of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue will facilitate adoption of a "draft constitution" and adoption of last month's Global Inclusive Agreement which should outline the framework for a transitional government. "By the beginning of March, said Kamerhe, "we should be ready with the new government."
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In this scenario, the mandate of the facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, Botswana's Ketumile Masire, will come to an end and he will leave. This will be followed by the implementation of the agreement itself and "a follow-up committee" headed by President Kabila with elements from all the parties to the agreement. They will ratify the transitional constitution , which will lead to the inauguration of the senate and the parliament and then of the government itself.
When asked afterward if this wasn't too optimistic a timetable, Information Minister Karubi responded, "Just because there are difficulties doesn't mean you can't hope."
The officials also called for "logistical and financial support" from the international community for the creation of a "new republican army."
