20 11 12 Eurac – The European Union needs to put strong pressure on Rwanda and Uganda so that they stop their support to the M23

 

After 5 days of intensive
clashes between the M23 and the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), the M23 rebels
have managed to advance as far as the gates of the city of Goma. It would appear that
the city of Goma
has been taken by the M23 in the last few hours. The repercussions of the
resumption of armed clashes in North Kivu since
April, are also being felt in other provinces: the movements of FARDC troops
towards areas of combat with the M23 have enabled other armed rebel groups to
occupy many of their former military positions.

This has led to the death of
hundreds of civilians, the raping of women and young girls, the forced enlisting
of children in rebel groups, pillaging and displacement of entire villages. More
than 750,000 Congolese have fled their villages and homes since the start of
clashes in April, causing a very serious humanitarian crisis in the eastern DRC.
Faced with the M23's advance, thousands of displaced persons have abandoned the
refugee camps in northern Goma, seeking refuge either in the city or in other
camps for displaced persons.

 

The final report by the United
Nations' group of experts, which will be published today, confirms the
accusations relating to Rwanda's role in this armed conflict
in the eastern DRC: direct military support to M23 rebels, facilitating
recruitment, facilitating desertions by FARDC fighters, supplying of arms and
munitions, information and political advice. The chain of command includes Bosco
Ntaganda and extends to General James Kabarabe of the Rwandan Ministry of
Defence. The report also contains evidence of support that the Ugandan
government has given to the M23 rebellion, in terms of reinforcement of troops,
technical and strategic assistance and the facilitation of foreign relations.

 

Since its army first entered the
Congolese territory in 1996, Rwanda has continuously denied all
responsibility in the destabilisation in the eastern DRC. 

In response to the accusations
contained in the United Nations' report, the Kigali regime has maintained this position and
has set out to refuse these accusations in front of its development partners.

 

Despite all this evidence, EurAc
laments the fact that the EU has shown, once again, a lack of consistency in the
language used in the Council's Conclusions: in fact, although it makes reference
to foreign support received by the M23, Rwanda and Uganda
are not specifically named as responsible for the resumption of the conflict in
the DRC.

 

In addition, EurAc is worried
about the weakening of the Congolese government – a government that has already
been weakened by a contested electoral protest and which is weakened even more
by the existence of the M23's threat to the stability of the whole eastern part
of the country, even beyond the Kivus.

 

EurAc welcomes the decision by
the United Nations to impose sanctions against Sultani Makenga, an M23 rebel,
who is accused of being at the origin of violations of human rights and
violation of the arms embargo in the DRC. A means must be found to ensure that
these sanctions are extended to all of those responsible for violations of human
rights in the region. 

 

EurAc also welcomes the CIRGL's
efforts towards the resolution of the crisis in the eastern DRC. Nevertheless,
EurAc strongly doubts that a solution can come out of this sub-regional group,
which includes two countries accused of being stakeholders in the armed
conflict. Therefore, envisaging the setting up of a neutral international force
is not the solution. EurAc believes that monitoring of the border between
Rwanda and the DRC – a measure that
is indeed necessary – should be ensured by Monusco, equipped with a new mandate,
reinforced troops and adequate equipment. 

 

In this context, the
international community must not content itself with symbolic, isolated and
non-concerted actions against Rwanda. The current situation
requires more firmness with regard to countries that are contributing to the
DRC's instability and more pressure on and support for the Congolese
government.

 

EurAc and its members are
calling upon the European Union and its member states to:

 

Ø Strongly condemn
Rwanda and Uganda's backing of the M23 and
require these two countries to stop all support of this rebellion and condemn
it;

Ø Stop the EU's budgetary aid
to Rwanda, thus complying with the
implementation of the Cotonou Agreement with regard to the criteria for
compliance with Human Rights and democracy, which are the necessary conditions
for granting budgetary aid;

Ø Encourage the Member States
to stop their military cooperation and reschedule their budgetary aid to
Rwanda, as the Rwandan government has
supported a rebellion in a neighbouring country, the DRC; 

Ø Following the imposing of
sanctions against Sultani Makenga, petition the UN sanctions committee to
provide for targeted sanctions against other top Ugandan and Congolese and
Rwandan officials (including general James Kabarebe) who have been active in the
destabilisation of the eastern DRC and who are directly or indirectly
responsible for crimes committed against civilian populations;

Ø Display more determination
in their dialogue with the Congolese government, the CIRGL and the African Union
in order to find an effective and sustainable solution to the armed conflicts in
the DRC; 

Ø Urgently support the
creation of a Special Envoy for the Great Lakes
region under the aegis of the UN and the AU, in order to launch a political
process to stop the violence and in close collaboration with the
CIRGL. It
is essential that they insist on transparency in negotiations with the M23 and
other armed groups. In the medium term, this special envoy should work towards
stabilisation in the region, which will involve the handling of structural
factors of conflict in the region.

Ø Conduct a frank political
dialogue with the Congolese Government so that it establishes a new approach for
the stabilisation of the east of the country and shows a political will to
reform the security sector.  EurAc calls upon the EU to prioritise the
strengthening of the United Nations Mission in the Congo
by granting it, in particular, responsibility for the coordination of this
strategic reform for the future of the country. 

Ø Advocate for the protection
of civilian populations and civil society actors, notably human rights
defenders, to be at the heart of interventions by the Congolese authorities and
the United Nations. It is necessary to allocate funds to meet the current
humanitarian crisis, which is only serving to aggravate the developments on the
ground in the last few hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further information please
contact:

Donatella
Rostagno

Executive Secretary at
EurAc

Tel.: +32 2 213 04
00

e-mail:
donatella.rostagno@eurac-network.org