Brussels, 20/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The EU strongly condemns the resumption of hostilities by the M23 rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It demands the immediate cessation of violence in North Kivu and urges the Congolese government to take measures necessary to protect the civilians and speed up security sector reform. Unanimous conclusions adopted on Monday 19 November by the Council of the EU record this message expressed by the EU27 foreign ministers (see EUROPE 10733), prior to the fall of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, which fell into rebel hands on Tuesday.
The Council noted the report by the UN group of experts to the sanctions committee and is deeply concerned at reports of continued external support to rebel groups in the eastern DRC. Such reports point a finger of blame at Rwanda, in particular, but also at Uganda. On Tuesday, Rwanda called for “political dialogue” in DRC, AFP reports.
“Efforts to undermine the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC cannot be tolerated”, the Council warned. It states that the EU, in coordination with other members of the international community, will contemplate measures to be taken to follow up the deliberations of the Security Council and encourage a constructive attitude on the part of the regional players.
In its conclusions, the Council expresses the extent to which the EU is concerned by the humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, where well over 650,000 people have been displaced since April 2012, and where the recent military offensive will increase the risk of still more people displaced.
The EU calls on all parties to ensure access by humanitarian agencies to the people needing assistance, and recalls that those perpetrating violence against civilians, especially the rape of women and children, “must be held accountable”. The EU welcomes the efforts made by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the African Union and the United Nations to find a lasting political solution to the current crisis in the eastern DRC. It welcomes the appointment of a special African Union envoy and invites the United Nations secretary general to examine the possibility of appointing a special representative to facilitate regional dialogue to address both the immediate crisis and to find a sustainable political solution with the region addressing the root causes of the conflict. (AN/transl.jl)