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M23 split likely to impact the DRC peace talks

Saturday March 02 2013
talks

A past meeting of M23 rebels and DR Congo government officials in Kampala. Photo/FILE

Leaders in the Great Lakes Region are assessing the likely impact of an apparent split in the M23 group on ongoing negotiations between the rebels and the Democratic Republic of Congo government.

Reacting to reports that the rebels’ military high command had dismissed Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero, M23’s political head, on charges of “financial embezzlement, divisions, ethnic hatred, deceit and political immaturity,” all of which amounted to “high treason,” Crispus Kiyonga, Uganda’s Minister of Defence and the chief facilitator of the talks, said he was waiting for details: “I have heard about the split, but I have not internalised it yet. I am waiting to get more details.” The talks have been going on for 12 weeks.

Mr Rugero’s dismissal on February 27 followed days of armed clashes between rival factions aligned to Sultani Makenga, the rebels’ military head, and Bishop Runiga, who is alleged to have been working on behalf of Bosco Ntaganda.

The International Criminal Court has indicted Mr Ntaganda, the so-called Terminator, on seven counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity and the US has offered a $5 million reward for whoever arrests him or provides information that leads to his arrest.

READ: The Ntaganda factor in DR Congo conflict

The clashes follow simmering tensions in the rebel ranks precipitated by long-running differences between Mr Makenga and Mr Ntaganda, which, sources say, came to a head with the capture of Goma in November 2012.

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Whereas Mr Makenga expressed willingness to withdraw immediately and start negotiation with Kinshasa, Bishop Runiga, on the behest of Mr Ntaganda, insisted the rebels would not leave eastern Congo’s commercial centre.

On Wednesday, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said during a press conference: “My major concern is the presence of FDLR [an anti-Kigali militia] in the Democratic Republic of Congo, not what goes on in M23. Apparently people are exaggerating issues to mask bigger problems going on in DRC. Problems in that country also affect its neighbours and vice versa, hence co-operation is vital.”

On the same day, Reuters reported that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had toned down criticism of Rwanda over accusations that it supports rebels in the DRC, but still warned against external support for the revolt.

The UN had in a special report on Monday applauded states who suspended aid to Rwanda after UN experts, who monitor compliance with sanctions and an arms embargo on Congo, accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels in eastern Congo. But in the final report, sent to the 15-member UN Security Council on Wednesday, that statement was removed.

Mr Ban did not name any countries in his report, but that paragraph was a clear reference to Rwanda.

A meeting of the inter-ministerial committee of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), under whose auspices the negotiations are being held in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura on February 28, condemned the armed clashes between factions within the rebel group.

The UN is expected to pass a new resolution allowing a military force, days after African leaders signed a UN-backed peace pact last Sunday.

READ: Will peace deal finally restore stability to eastern DR Congo?

Senior officials at the ICGLR’s secretariat who attended that meeting told The EastAfrican that foreign affairs ministers, who comprise the committee, were still trying to assess what the splits might mean for both the negotiations and stability in eastern DRC.

According to an earlier version of the framework that leaders backed away from signing on January 28, the UN is seeking renewed commitments from the Kinshasa government to reassert its authority in the east of the country.

In an analysis, Jason Stearns, who researches conflict in eastern DRC, has said the framework “provides more questions than answers. The agreement is more a statement of principles than a concrete action plan. And some of the principles seem to make that action plan difficult,” Mr Stearns wrote in a February 22 post on his blog.

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