Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
4 March 2008
Kigali — DR Congo dissident General Laurent Nkunda said Monday that he would resume participation in the Goma peace process following assurances from the U.S. and EU that there would be an investigation into his concerns, RNA reports.
Gen. Nkunda last week walked out on participation in daily ceasefire meetings provided for under the 'act of engagement' signed in Goma on January 23 by the government. He said his boycott was a reaction to a report by the UN Mission in Congo (MONUC) accusing his troops of killing at least 30 civilians between 16 and 20 January.
Yesterday, there were a series of engagements between Gen. Nkunda with Mr. Tim Shortly - Special Advisor to the US State Department in charge of conflict resolution and Mr. Roland Van de Geer, the EU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes.
The decision to resume active participation in the application of the peace process came as a result of guaranties offered by both personalities, particularly that of setting up, in the near future, an independent commission of enquiry for the said allegations with the scope of establishing the truth, the General said.
Aid agencies were worried that the dumping the peace process would deter thousands of internally displaced civilians.
About 800,000 civilians in North Kivu have been displaced, with more than half forced to flee their homes since the end of 2006 because of clashes between government forces, Nkunda's rebels and other armed groups from DRC as well as neighbouring Rwanda and Burundi.
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