Regardless of rising worldwide stress, the Democratic Republic of Congo is standing agency on its choice to not have direct talks with the M23 insurgent group that has made main advances within the east of the nation in current months.
Final week, the UK authorities added to requires the group to be a part of an “inclusive dialogue” to assist discover a political answer to the battle.
However in an interview with the BBC, DR Congo Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka mentioned her authorities desires to barter with neighbouring Rwanda, which it accuses of backing the M23.
A minimum of 8,500 folks have been killed since combating escalated in January, in keeping with the Congolese authorities.
Tons of of hundreds have additionally been pressured from their houses amid the chaos triggered by the combating, during which UN specialists and others see Rwanda as having a key function.
“The very fact stays that the aggressor of the territorial integrity and of the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo is Rwanda,” Suminwa Tuluka mentioned, citing a UN specialists’ report from final yr that acknowledged that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops had crossed into Congolese territory and have been combating alongside the M23.
Peace talks brokered by Angola hit a impasse final December after Rwanda demanded that the Congolese authorities speak on to the M23.
The insurgent group then superior swiftly, taking management of the cities of Goma and Bukavu in January and February.
At a joint East and Southern African mediation effort final month, regional leaders referred to as for a ceasefire, the exit of “uninvited international armed forces” from Congolese territory and likewise urged for direct negotiations between “state and non-state events… together with M23”.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame didn’t deny the presence of his troops in DR Congo when requested about it. “I do not know,” he mentioned in a CNN interview.
The battle throughout the border has seen his nation, usually seen as a darling of the West, now lose favour quick throughout the board.
Strain is mounting on it to withdraw its forces from Congolese soil.
“But it surely has not but successfully completed so,” Suminwa Tuluka mentioned.
She welcomed US sanctions imposed on Rwandan authorities minister James Kabarebe, saying they’d assist “put stress on the aggressors”. Rwanda, nonetheless, dismissed them as “unjustified and ineffective in resolving the disaster”.
The European Fee for its half has suspended “defence consultations” and positioned “below assessment” a memorandum of understanding it signed final yr with Rwanda on uncooked supplies.
The Congolese prime minister welcomed the EU Fee’s choices, saying that “the unlawful exploitation of assets – that is likely one of the causes of the battle”.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral deposits within the east of the nation, which Rwanda denies.
Including to the refrain in opposition to Rwanda, the UK mentioned final week that amongst different measures it could pause support besides the cash meant for the poorest and most susceptible teams, except the nation withdraws its troops, engages “meaningfully” in talks and a ceasefire is achieved.
Rwanda described the choice as “punitive”, saying it was unreasonable to count on it to compromise its nationwide safety.
The Congolese prime minister mentioned that Rwanda was ignoring all of the calls to withdraw its troops.
“So, who’s standing in the best way of [resolving the conflict]? It’s not the Congolese authorities,” she argued.
Rwanda has beforehand acknowledged deploying its forces “defensively and offensively” in the course of the ongoing battle, claiming the precise to defend its territory.
It has additionally repeatedly accused the Congolese authorities of harbouring and dealing with the militant group the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose members embody fighters from the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Requested about that, Suminwa Tuluka denied that the Congolese military works with FDLR rebels, however mentioned her nation would have interaction in a technique of “neutralising” the militants.
When it got here to what would clear up the issue if direct talks with the M23 have been dominated out, the prime minister mentioned that together with negotiating with Rwanda, the reply was easy for what would assure a ceasefire.
“Make sure that Rwandan troops withdraw from Congolese territory and that their M23 cease killing the Congolese populations,” she mentioned.
