United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Nina Yacoubian
13 March 2008
"We greatly hope that the troops' pullout will translate into lasting peace so that the Congolese who live in those areas may return home and enjoy the fruit of their work." These are the words of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Alan Doss during MONUC weekly press conference on 12 March 2008.
The head of MONUC hailed the return of CNDP and the Maï Maï to the process following talks with the national coordinator of Amani Program Abbé Apollinaire Malu-Malu and the international facilitation.
"In pursuing our common objective of promoting peace in the Kivus, progress has been registered; the cease-fire holds despite minor incidents that are more like acts of banditry than reversion to hostilities," he said with satisfaction.
The Special Representative expressed his desire to see the Congolese living in those areas return home after the armed groups have pulled out.
"As you know, Mr. Doss said, the protection of the civilian population occupies the center of the mandate we have received from the Security Council. To that end, "MONUC is deployed in strategic places in the Kivus so as to prevent any new outbreak of violence in areas identified as risk zones."
In addition, the Special Representative of the Secretary General informed that MONUC, in cooperation with UN partners, worked out a support strategy for security and stability in eastern DRC. This strategy-which takes into consideration the priorities and programs already elaborated with the government as well as the sponsors-should give to the Congolese in that part of the country the possibility of receiving the dividends that they expect from peace.
"One of the first priorities is to establish the Joint Commission that should discuss and find solutions to issues that were identified in the Act of Engagement," he explained.
Regarding the Joint Nairobi Communique, Mr. Alan Doss underscored the necessity of reinforcing the efforts of MONUC "in order to dynamize again the follow-up of what both the DRC and Rwanda committed themselves to."
With a view to pursuing those efforts, the special envoys met recently in Brussels. "We agreed that the sensitization of the FDLR must continue, even if the first initiatives did not produce the results that were expected" he added.
Thus, the head of MONUC hopes that the future meeting in Kisangani with the FDLR leaders will take place "as soon as possible in order to speed up the implementation of the provisions of the Nairobi agreement".
MONUC has already taken steps to "gradually reinforce its military presence" in proximity zones in coordination with the FARDC. "Operations are already being run that target the Rastas, who operate together with the FDLR. The Security Council intends to take measures against the FDLR leaders who refuse to cooperate in implementing the Nairobi Communique" he informed.
On the other side, Mr. Doss expressed his concern about the situation in the province of Bas-Congo, where MONUC has deployed additional units on the ground and continues to monitor the situation very closely. He called on the authorities to avoid excessive use of force, which might make the situation worse. And BDK must avoid spreading xenophobic messages and keep from all violence, he said.
About allegations of human rights violations committed during the recent events in Bas-Congo, Mr. Doss said that the investigations were underway and that a UN mission team was already on the ground in order to assess the humanitarian needs of the affected population. He also requested the cooperation of all the involved authorities and the BDK so the investigation would be carried out smoothly.
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