African Union welcomes defeat of M23 rebels
November 14, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union (AU) has ‘‘welcomed’’ the defeat of the M23 rebels and called on the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) to pursue other ‘‘negative elements’’ in the volatile eastern part of the country.
In its 406th sitting on Wednesday, the Peace and Security Council of the AU said it ‘‘Welcomes the restoration of State authority in the areas previously controlled by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebellion.’’
The M23 was defeated by the Congolese army assisted by a United Nations Intervention Brigade with a mandate to use force.
On 5 November, the rebel group renounced rebellion against the Kinshasa government and dissolved itself.
The AU also called for the DRC government to pursue other armed elements roaming in mineral- rich eastern Congo
‘‘Council encourages the DRC armed forces and the Intervention Brigade to pursue and intensify efforts, in order to neutralise other negative forces.’’
The AU named what it termed negative forces as, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the allied Democratic Forces/ National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF/NALU and the Mai Mai militia. All are rebel groups hostile to either DRC, Rwanda and Uganda but based in eastern Congo.
A peace agreement that should have been signed between the DRC government and the M23 rebels flopped on Monday in Kampala after the DRC delegation said it needed more time to study the agreement.
The delegation also accused Uganda, the mediator of the talks, of having an ‘‘interest in M23’’ an accusation Uganda swiftly denied.
No date has been set for the signing of the peace agreement between the M23 and DRC but both sides are reportedly in contact with the mediator of the talks, Uganda’s defence minister, Chrispus Kiyonga.
(ST)