Congo-Kinshasa: 'Congo Has No Means to Disarm FDLR Rebels'
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Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
27 August 2008
Posted to the web 28 August 2008
Kigali
The DR Congo government desperately wants to have Rwandan rebels disarmed and sent off its territory but does not seem to have the necessary means, the Presidential Great Lakes Envoy said today.
Dr Richard Sezibera told journalists that for the 'first time' in years, the Kinshasa government had ended its alleged support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda - FDLR - rebels and was committed to have them dealt with.
"There are different efforts underway but they are insufficient", Dr Sezibera said. "Insufficient on the one hand because they have no means.and may be no willingness to have the rebel issue tackled."
Rwanda has at several fora expressed its dismay with reports that Congolese government officers and UN mission forces known as MONUC have been supporting the war effort of the rebels by providing them with arms. For the MONUC forces, allegations are that they give the FDLR arms in exchange for minerals.
The Presidential Envoy was speaking after a consultative meeting with stake holders of the Nairobi initiative under which Rwanda and DR Congo agreed to a set of mechanism to end the rebel problem.
Regional Heads of State are due in Kinshasa December for the summit of International Conference for the Great Lakes Region - where the militias roaming the east of DRC from its neighbours, will be a major issue of discussion.
Dr Sezibera said part of the reason as why the DRC is unable develop the means to deal with the rebels is because it is still 'rebuilding' its state structures.
According to him, the Kinshasa government and MONUC have reaffirmed commitment to block all FDLR sources of funding from minerals and taxes levied in market where they control. He said rebel transactions had actually reduced significantly but did not however elaborate how that would be done.
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"All our partners - along with Congolese army and MONUC agree to the fact that this problem (of FDLR) has to come to a conclusion - if necessary by force", said Dr Sezibera.
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