30/08/13 UN News Center: Security Council demands DR Congo rebel groups to end all violence, immediately disband

In a statement, the Council
called on the M23 and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda
(FDLR), among other rebel groups, to “immediately and permanently disband and
lay down their arms” and said it was ready to adopt “additional targeted
sanctions against those acting in violation of the sanctions regime and the
arms embargo.”

They condemned in the
strongest terms the “repeated and targeted attacks” by the M23 against
civilians and UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the country (MONUSCO), which have killed several people,
including a Tanzanian peacekeeper, and injured several others.

The peacekeeper was killed
yesterday during an attack in the Kibati heights in North
Kivu as MONUSCO supported the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) in
protecting civilian-populated areas of Goma.

Members of the Council, who
were briefed on this issue today by the Assistant Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations, Edmond Mulet, expressed their condolences to the
family of the peacekeeper as well as to the Tanzanian Government, and called on
DRC authorities to swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators
to justice.

The 15-member body also
expressed concern at reports of repeated mortar shells and bombs from DRC
territory landing in neighbouring Rwanda, and called for a thorough
investigation into the sources of these shells and bombs by the Expanded Joint
Verification Mechanism (EJVM).

The Council praised the
active steps taken by the MONUSCO to implement its mandate, in particular the
protection of civilians, and encouraged the continuation of these efforts. They
also welcomed the order by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in
the country, Martin Kobler to take all necessary actions to protect civilians,
and emphasized that any effort to undermine MONUSCO’s ability to implement its
mandate will not be tolerated.

In March, the Council
authorized the deployment of an intervention brigade within MONUSCO to carry
out targeted offensive operations, with or without the FARDC, against armed
groups that threaten peace in eastern DRC. The brigade is tasked with
neutralizing armed groups, reducing the threat posed to State authority and
civilian security and make space for stabilization activities.