UN envoys have called for resumption of talks between DR Congo government and M23 rebels in the wake of a stall in negotiations following disagreement on amnesty and integration of rebel fighters.
The UN Secretary-General’s special envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Mary Robinson, in her briefing to the UN Security Council said, “The parties reached consensus on eight out of the 12 articles of the draft agreement under discussion.”
The UN News Service quoted Robinson as saying, “However, they found it difficult to agree on certain contentious and difficult issues that had remained problematic throughout the talks, namely the amnesty, disarmament and integration of M23.”
She said the parties have agreed to reconvene “soon” to overcome their differences. “It will be critical that that the parties and the facilitation remain committed to a swift conclusion of the Kampala process.”
She said that both sides had however agreed on the release of prisoners; the end of M23 as a rebel movement and possibility to establish itself as a political party; return and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons; and return of looted properties during the M23’s occupation of Goma.
Also agreed upon is the establishment of a national reconciliation commission; governance and socio-economic reforms; implementation of the provisions of the March 23, 2009 peace agreement which were partially or not implemented, and, are still relevant; as well as the implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the Kampala Agreement.
Also, special envoy Martin Kobler who is also the head of the UN Stabilization Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) urged the two sides to re-engage with the peace efforts.
However, the DRC government side rejected calls for an amnesty for M23 leaders and reintegrating of fighters into the national army. Kinshasa presented a list of 78 leaders of the M23 group who will not be integrated into the national army FARDC.
By Raymond Baguma,The New Vision