EngRegional
Tshisekedi’s refusal to talk to M23 jeopardizes peace process in eastern DRC
Congolese President Felix Tshiskedi.
Congolese President Felix
Tshisekedi declared that he will never negotiate with the AFC/M23 rebels.
Talking to the press in
Brussels on August 6, Tshisekedi said: “As long as I am president, I will never
face the M23 or the AFC. I will only talk to Rwanda, not to negotiate”.
Tshisekedi has repeatedly
ruled out any negotiations with the rebels, shifting the rebels’ issues to
Rwanda, yet the latter is not at war with DRC. Tshisekedi’s ways, running away
from his responsibility, is hindering peace efforts.
During the July 30 ministerial
meeting between Rwanda and DRC hosted by Angola's Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the two countries agreed on establishment of a ceasefire between the warring
parties in eastern DRC.
Though some individuals and
organizations got it wrong by claiming, “Rwanda and DRC governments agreed on
cease fire,” the parties in conflicts in eastern DRC are the Congolese
government and AFC.
Rwanda’s concern in eastern
DRC has always been clear. The FDLR, a US sanctioned terrorist group formed by
the remnants of perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
poses a regional security threat.
It was reported that after the
meeting of DRC and Rwanda intelligence experts in Luanda on August 7, DRC
agreed to fight the FDLR. In March, Kinshasa submitted a plan of action
concerning the disarmament of FDLR.
In a statement issued on
August 1, the AFC/M23 coalition announced that it has followed the developments
aimed at achieving peace within the framework of the Luanda process and
congratulated all the actors for their endless work towards a peaceful
resolution of the multifaceted crisis in eastern DRC. However, it emphasized
that it is not automatically bound by the conclusions of meetings to which it
has not attended.
Regional leaders as well as
international organizations including UN, EU, AU, among others, reiterated that
political dialogues are the only path to a lasting solution to the conflicts in
war-torn DRC.
The UN Security Council report
published on August 6 revealed how the UK and US warned the Council to avoid
actions that could exacerbate regional tensions and hinder efforts towards a
political resolution of the conflict, highlighting the importance of finding a
political solution through ongoing regional peace initiatives.
Tshisekedi turned a deaf ear.
Considering how he hired Mercenaries, supported and armed numerous militia
groups in the umbrella of Wazalendo, integrating FDLR, bringing in the
Burundian army, as well as South African Development Community forces, all to
fight AFC, Tshisekedi preferred war to peace. He exacerbated the crisis instead
of addressing it.
The implication of Tshisekedi’s statements is to divert attention and run away from his responsibility. It is Tshisekedi who is responsible for addressing the root causes of the conflicts in his country not President Kagame.
