Ugandan minister urges DRC to resolve its problems after talks collapse
November 13, 2013 (KAMPALA) – A Ugandan minister has told the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to sort out its problem after the DRC accused Uganda of having an ‘’interest in the M23’’.
‘‘The problem of DRC is the problem of DRC. It is up to the Congolese to speed up the process of bringing peace to their country,’’ said Uganda’s Minister of state for International Relations, Henry Okello Oryem in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.
The signing of the peace agreement between the DRC and the former rebels flopped on Monday after the Congolese delegation said it could not sign an agreement with the vanquished M23 rebels since the group had dissolved itself.
“What are we supposed to sign? No country in history has signed an agreement with a movement that has declared its own dissolution,” Lambert Mende, a spokesman for the DRC government was quoted as saying by Reuters from Kinshasa.
And in a show of lingering suspicions about Uganda’s role in the conflict in eastern DRC, the Congolese government spokesman added: “Uganda seems now to be acting as part of the conflict. It has interests in M23.”
But Minister Henry Okello Oryem defended Uganda saying ‘‘the integrity” of the country ”is unquestionable in the international community’’.
The DRC government and human rights organisations have in the past accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the M23. But both countries deny the claims.
Another sticking point between Uganda and DRC is on what to do with former M23 Commander, Sultani Makenge.
The rebel commander and about 1,600 of his former fighters last week handed themselves over to the Ugandan authorities in the western district of Kisoro after being flushed out of towns they hitherto controlled by the Congolese army and a United Nations brigade.
Makenge is wanted by DRC for war crimes but Uganda has said it will not handover the former rebel leader to the DRC government.
‘‘The fate of Makenge will be decided at an appropriate time,’’ is all minister Okello Oryem could when asked whether Uganda would hand over Makenge to the DRC government.
On Tuesday the Uganda government spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, issued a statement saying the M23 and DRC delegation will still keep in touch with the Facilitator of the talks, Uganda’s defence Minister, Chrispus Kiyonga.
‘‘The understanding is that both delegations will be in contact with Facilitator Uganda’s Defence Minister Dr Crispus Kiyonga, and the Observers, and if and when they are ready to move forward, the Facilitator will give a new date for the signing ceremony,’’ read the Uganda government statement.
Analysts say the Kampala peace talks present one of the best opportunities for a peace deal in eastern Congo.
When the M23 announced its dissolution and readiness to sign the peace agreement after defeat, the United Nations Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mary Robinson, described it as a ‘‘ very special moment’’ for peace in the Congo.
(ST)