https://sputnikglobe.com/20230122/eac-force-will-not-fire-first-shot-in-eastern-dr-congo-secretary-general-says-1106568968.html
EAC Force Will Not Fire First Shot in Eastern DR Congo, Secretary-General Says
EAC Force Will Not Fire First Shot in Eastern DR Congo, Secretary-General Says
Sputnik International
The East African Community Regional Force in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not planning to fire its first shot against local rebels, the East African Community's secretary-general Peter Mathuki has said.
2023-01-22T08:27+0000
2023-01-22T08:27+0000
2023-01-22T08:27+0000
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The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not planning to initiate an exchange of firing at local rebels, the East African Community's secretary-general Peter Mathuki is reported to have said.His statements came as a response to recent demonstrations in the country, with protesters accusing the EACRF of inexcusable complacency in the face of militant groups accused of committing violent acts.The EAC has repeatedly stated that its priority is the political process in the DR Congo, involving the disarming and reintegration of territories seized by rebels. Militant groups have said that they are willing to participate in the peace process, with, among other things, the Tutsi-led M23 terrorist organization initiating withdrawal from strategic positions as a "gesture of goodwill".On 15 January, M23 missed the agreed deadline to withdraw from the previously occupied areas in the region which has been a hotbed of armed conflict for some time now. The deadline was agreed after the Luanda Mini Summit last November. There have been no reports of a new deadline agreement yet.The EAC leads a peace process between the DR Congo government and numerous rebel groups. Negotiations concerning M23 is part of a separate process between the DR Congo and Rwanda, whom the Congolese government accuses of supporting M23 - an accusation Rwanda denies.
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congo rebels, eac congo, eacrf congo, m23 congo, peter mathuki
EAC Force Will Not Fire First Shot in Eastern DR Congo, Secretary-General Says
The East African Community Regional Force was established in June 2022 to help stabilize the situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as regional leaders prepare negotiations between the Congolese government and rebel groups.
The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not planning to initiate an exchange of firing at local rebels, the East African Community's secretary-general Peter Mathuki is reported to have said.
His statements came as a response to recent demonstrations in the country, with protesters accusing the EACRF of inexcusable complacency in the face of militant groups accused of committing
violent acts.
"We are urging all citizens to remain calm and be patient as all of us see how to bring the conflict to an end. Our intention is not to engage in combat or have our region at war, but to see how we all live in peace," Mathuki said, underlining that "the process in Eastern DRC has to be solved through political processes; our military is there to reinforce the political process".
The EAC has repeatedly
stated that its priority is the political process in the DR Congo, involving the disarming and reintegration of territories seized by rebels. Militant groups have said that they are willing to participate in the peace process, with, among other things, the Tutsi-led M23 terrorist organization initiating
withdrawal from strategic positions as a "gesture of goodwill".
On 15 January,
M23 missed the agreed deadline to withdraw from the previously occupied areas in the region which has been a hotbed of armed conflict for some time now. The deadline was
agreed after the Luanda Mini Summit last November. There have been no reports of a new deadline agreement yet.
The EAC leads a peace process between the DR Congo government and numerous rebel groups. Negotiations concerning M23 is part of a separate process between the DR Congo and Rwanda, whom the Congolese government accuses of supporting M23 - an accusation Rwanda denies.
