EngRegional
Negotiations with M23: What is Kinshasa waiting for?
On April 3, the Office of the facilitator to the EAC-led Nairobi Peace process in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Uhuru Kenyatta, issued a statement citing the possibility of
the M23 rebels returning to the negotiation table following its commitment to
honoring the peace processes.
Several reports revealed that since late December 2022,
the rebels have withdrawn from their earlier captured areas including Sake,
Kibumba, Rumangabo, Mushaki and Kilolirwe.
These territories were handed over to the East African
Community Regional Force as requested by the Nairobi Process. The remaining areas,
such as Kitchanga and Kiwanja, are to be handed over to the contingents of
Burundi and Uganda respectively not later than April 15.
The M23 rebels were excluded from the inter-Congolese dialogue in mid 2022. Labeling them a
terrorist group, the DRC government said that they will return into dialogue only
when they withdraw from the localities they occupy, a condition Kinshasa probably
thought was too hard for M23. But the rebels adhered to the conditions and
withdrew, a sign that they want peace and a dialogue with their government.
The move was difficult for Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi
to digest, to the extent that he fabricated lies and publicly denied the
rebel’s withdraw to show the world how M23 is a thorn in his country’s flesh.
“They pretend to move, they act like they are moving, but
they’re not. They’re simply moving around, redeploying elsewhere, and they stay
in the towns that they have captured,” Tshisekedi said during the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2023.
Now after former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed
their withdraw and commended the remarkable developments and suggested they
return to the negotiation table, Kinshasa is playing the cat and mouse game.
Congolese Spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, on April 3,
reiterated that DRC will not dialogue with the M23.
“Negotiate with the M23 where? Who negotiates? There
should be pictures because nowadays nothing is hidden. The position of the
government on that matter is well known … we remain firm on our position until
what we expect is done,” he said.
What else does the Congolese government want in order to finally
negotiate with the rebels?
Apparently, the government continues to turn its back on dialogue
with the rebels in order to prolong conflict so that the December elections can
be postponed.
The Congolese army and its armed groups’ coalition including
FDLR, keep attacking the rebels, killing civilians, destroying their houses,
looting cattle, harassing the local population and blaming all those atrocities
on the M23.
Tshisekedi has, for long, been advised by world leaders, politicians and diplomats to solve the problem diplomatically but their advice went unheeded. His government wants war more than solving problems through dialogue.
The DRC’s refusal to dialogue with the M23 despites its
commitment to honoring the peace processes, is a warning sign that the rebellion’s
grievances will not be heard.
It is a clear sign that Tshisekedi does not want to end the
conflict.
He is sacrificing his citizens for personal gain – suspending
the elections and staying in power.
Tshisekedi knows he will not win if polls are held.
