17 07 12 Security Council Press Statement on Democratic Republic of Congo

 

The members of the Security Council condemn in the
strongest terms the attacks by the 23 March Movement (M23) mutineers, reiterate
their demands that the M23 and all armed groups, including the Democratic Forces
for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), cease immediately any further advances and
all forms of violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, and urge that the commanders of M23, including Bosco Ntaganda, who is the
subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, be apprehended and
brought to justice.  They further express deep concern with the sharply
deteriorating situation in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo and the worsening of the humanitarian situation in the eastern part of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the increasing number of displaced persons
and refugees and reports of both sexual violence and the use of child
soldiers.

The members of the Security Council reiterate their
condemnation of all outside support to all armed groups in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, and their demand that all forms of support to them cease
immediately.  They further call upon all countries in the region to cooperate
actively with the Congolese authorities in demobilizing the
M23.

The members of the Security Council reiterate their
full support for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and its operations in the eastern
part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including their efforts to assist
the Congolese Government in protecting civilians displaced or threatened as a
result of the violent activities of armed groups.  The members of the Security
Council recall that all responsible for attacks against civilians or MONUSCO
personnel must be held accountable and brought to justice.

The members of the Security Council take note with
interest of the report of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region
Regional Interministerial Extraordinary Meeting on the Security Situation in
Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, held on 11 July in Addis Ababa, and
urge the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to fully
implement bilateral and regional mechanisms in addressing insecurity in the east
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The members of the Council welcome the
recent discussions between President Paul Kagame and President Joseph Kabila to
resolve the crisis, and encourage continued high-level dialogue at the bilateral
and regional levels.