24 10 13 Xinhua: DR Congo gov't vows not to encourage impunity in talks with M23 rebels

The
government is opposed to any proposal that may constitute a violation of the
Constitution during talks between the M23 rebels and the governmental
delegation in the Ugandan capital Kampala,
an official statement said on Tuesday.

"Because
of the supreme interests of the nation, the governmental delegation is opposed
to any proposal that could constitute a violation of the constitution, the
government's international commitments or agreements that could encourage
impunity," the statement insisted.

"This
especially concerns the proposal for amnesty which, according to the
government, cannot be applied in the case of war crimes, acts of genocide and
crimes against humanity; and this also include sexual violence and recruitment
of child soldiers," the statement noted.

The
government reaffirmed its determination to continue with efforts to pacify
North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and get
rid of all the rebel movements.

The Kampala talks were suspended on Sunday, but the two sides
have refused to take responsibility for the suspension of the talks which were
meant to conclude with the signing of a peace agreement to restore peace and
order in North Kivu province.

The M23 commander,
Bosco Ntanganda, was taken to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March
after defeated in an infight with another faction.

Since
2006, the ICC has issued two arrest warrants against Ntaganda for committing
crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the recruitment of child
soldiers and rape.

Ntanganda
headed a new rebellion of the M23 in April 2012 citing the failure of
the government to honor a previous agreement, under which Ntanganda supposed
himself to be safe from the war crime charges.

The
government and the M23 have negotiated for 10 months without a
breakthrough partly due to the fears of rebel commanders that they may follow
the suit of Ntanganda.

 

 

 

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