Democratic Republic of the Congo / Violation of the ceasefire by the rebel group CNDP

 

 

KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC) November 18, 2008/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Daily press briefing by the office of the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general

 

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has strongly condemned the latest violation of the ceasefire by the rebel group CNDP, led by Laurent Nkunda.  Nkunda’s fighters yesterday seized control of a number of North Kivu localities following some of the worst fighting in more than a week.  The Mission says that the UN attack helicopters undertook reconnaissance flights over the area and are poised to respond to any and all eventualities.  It calls on the warring parties to uphold the ceasefire and to give the ongoing political process a chance to succeed.

 

On the political front:  Over the weekend, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo met with Presidents Dos Santos of Angola and Kabila of the DRC, and later on with rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in North Kivu.  Nkunda reportedly raised some demands, including integration of rebels in the national army at the appropriate rank.  He also agreed to open a corridor for humanitarian assistance and to continue to observe the ceasefire.

 

Special Envoy Obasanjo and African Union Co-Facilitator Benjamin Mkapa are in Nairobi, Kenya, today to brief President Mwai Kibaki, in his capacity as the Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, on their consultations with Luanda and Kinshasa.  Obasanjo, who earlier today called on both government and rebel forces to respect the ceasefire, is expected at UN Headquarters later this week to brief the Secretary-General.

 

And back in the field, the UN Mission says that it is providing support to humanitarian agencies working to relocate some 60,000 displaced people from a UN camp at Kibati.  The Kibati camp is located some 10 kilometers north of Goma, just below rebel lines, and it would be firmly in the line of fire should the rebels advance on Goma.  The IDPs will be moved to another UN camp far from the frontline.

 

We are finalizing arrangements for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Alan Doss, to brief you tomorrow by video link from Kinshasa.  And we’ll alert you to the precise time, once we have it confirmed

 

 

SOURCE : United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General