07 11 13 Reuters: U.S. may consider easing sanctions on Rwanda -envoy

 

On Oct. 3, Washington said it would block U.S.
military aid to Rwanda
because of its "support for the M23, a rebel group which continues to
actively recruit and abduct children" and which has posed a threat to the
stability of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.

M23 is a Tutsi-dominated
rebellion of former Congolese soldiers that began taking parts of eastern Congo last
year, accusing the government of failing to honor a 2009 peace deal.

The group on Tuesday called
an end to its 20-month revolt after the army captured its last hilltop
strongholds, raising hopes for peace in a region where millions have died in
nearly two decades of violence.

Under U.S. sanctions, Rwanda
does not get U.S. International Military Education and Training funds, which
help train foreign militaries, or U.S. Foreign Military Financing, which funds
the sale of U.S.
military materiel and services.

Russ Feingold, U.S. special envoy for the Great Lakes region of
Africa, told reporters that the United
States would conduct an investigation and
could lift the sanctions if it found that any Rwandan support for M23's use of
child soldiers had ceased.

"If it turns out that Rwanda is no
longer involved in such activities, if it turns out that their role here has
been a positive one – and there is much that they have done during this (peace)
process to be positive … then we would certainly review whether it's
appropriate to continue these sanctions," Feingold said.

"They are based specifically
on certain actions that we believe occurred and if those actions cease, there
would certainly be a serious review of whether it is appropriate to continue it
(the sanctions)," he told a conference call.

Millions of people have
died from violence, disease and hunger since the 1990s as foreign-backed
insurgents have waged a series of rebellions, often for control of eastern Congo's rich
deposits of gold, diamonds and tin.

M23's defeat appeared to
vindicate the United Nations' deployment of a tough new Intervention Brigade
this year. But, with dozens of rebel groups still active, pacifying the
mineral-rich region at Africa's heart remains
a daunting task.

The M23 is just the latest
manifestation of simmering anger toward Kinshasa
among ethnic Tutsis in eastern Congo.
The real test will be whether government and rebels can reach a lasting
political deal.