16 12 13 VoA – U.S. Special Envoy – DRC Peace Deal a 'Big Step'
Special
Envoy Russ Feingold described the peace deal signed just hours before as a real
chance to turn around troubled and resource-rich Democratic Republic of
Congo.
"While
this is only a first step, it is a very big step, maybe an historic step," said
Feingold. "Stopping the M23 rebellion, which was causing enormous harm to the
people of eastern Congo, is a major stop in the right direction that I think
most people wouldn't have thought possible even a year
ago."
Feingold
spoke by telephone from the Paris airport, en route to Washington from Nairobi,
where Congolese government and the M23 signed a deal Thursday to end one of
DRC's most serious rebellions in a decade. Congolese officials have refrained
from calling the deal a peace agreement, but Feingold said that, in effect, is
what it is.
"And
we want to work with countries in the region not only to get rid of other armed
groups, which I think that we can do, working with the United Nations force, but
also to provide opportunities for economic development and prosperity," said
Feingold. "So this is a really good step in the right
direction."
The
agreement marks a major turnaround from just over a year ago, when the M23
rebels occupied large chunks of eastern Congo, and briefly captured North Kivu's
provincial capital of Goma. But this is hardly the first peace deal in a region
where an array of armed groups still operate.
Feingold
says this one is different. Countries in the region co-sponsored the talks that
were carried out publicly and with the involvement of international
observers.
"It
also is different in that amnesty is not offered to rebels who are involved in
war crimes or crimes against humanity," said Feingold. "That was a mistake that
was made in the past – and it will not be repeated under this
agreement."
Feingold
outlined a series of steps needed in the coming months, including reforming the
Congolese military and strengthening democracy and the country's justice system.
He says relatively modest investments from the international community can help
bring about change and new opportunities for one of the world's most problematic
regions.