DR Congo President rules out talks with M23 rebels

KINSHASA, DR Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo has ruled out any political dialogue with the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.

Speaking in Kinshasha on Friday after meeting Swiss President, Alain Berset about the security and humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, Tshisekedi ruled out dialogue with M23 rebels. Tshisekedi claimed that M23 usually takes advantage of the dialogues to infiltrate government security and carry out more attacks.  

“There is no question of political dialogue with this group. I say it and I want to make it clear that it will never be a question of it. They take advantage of these dialogues to infiltrate us and justify the attacks. What message are you giving to those who execute certain soldiers/policemen in the FARDC/PNC on the grounds that they are infiltrated?" said Tshisekedi.  

Tshisekedi also hinted that once Angola troops arrive in North Kivu, troops under East African Community regional force may be asked to withdraw. 

“We are confident that this withdrawal process will take a much faster pace to facilitate the disarmament of the M23 and once the elements of the Angolan army arrive there, from that moment it will no longer be important to keep the forces that today make up the EAC force, such as Uganda, Burundi, Kenya,” he says.      

Tshisekedi’s statements were criticized by the M23 president, Bertrand Bisimwa. He said that Tshisekedi's refusal to dialogue peacefully resolve the conflict as well as also disarming other militia groups in accordance to the Heads of State of the EAC is a sabotage of the process of peace.

“President Tshisekedi's refusal to dialogue with the M23 to peacefully resolve the conflict, to separate from the armed groups including the FDLR, and to disarm them in accordance with the resolutions of the Heads of State of the EAC is a sabotage of the process of the peace committed by EAC," says Bisimwa.      

Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 political spokesperson said that as long as there is no direct political dialogue between the M23 and the Kinshasa government, there will also be no cantonment, disarmament, or demobilization. 

This happens after fresh fighting was reported at Mount Nyundo in Kibumba groupement, Nyiragongo territory on Thursday. M23 accused FARDC and the militia coalition of violating the cease-fire by launching an assault against their positions.

On Friday, Congolese Army spokesperson in North Kivu province, Lt Col Guillaume Ndjike refuted the claims. Ndjike says that the attack was launched by a group of armed youth describing themselves as Wazalendu. 

He says that 59 were arrested as well as four AK-47 rifles, sticks, and other edged weapons retrieved from them. There has been calm in North Kivu for weeks, following the deployment of the East African Community (EAC) regional force in some areas like Bunagana, Kiwanja, Kibumba, and Mweso among others.         

M23 launched a war against the DRC government specifically the North Kivu province in March 2023. The DR Congo government accuses Rwanda of backing M23, but Rwanda and M23 strongly deny it. The rebels claim to fight against bad leadership in DR Congo based on corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination.