Brussels, 05/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The team of international special envoys for the African Great Lakes region, including Koen Vervaeke, the EU coordinator for this region, made a joint appeal on Friday 2 January, to take decisive action against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
On Friday2 January, the six months grace period granted by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the SADC expired and the demand has been made for the full and unconditional surrender and demobilisation of the FDLR. The international special envoys are concerned by the situation and explained that the FDLR has not only failed to respect this grace period but has also used it to continue to commit human rights violations in the east of the DRC, recruit fighters and propagate its illegitimate political agenda. They also emphasise that “Ending the threat of the FDLR is not just a DRC responsibility; it is a regional and international responsibility”. They added that, “By failing to fully comply with the decisions of the ICGLR, SADC and the United Nations Security Council, the FDLR has left the region and the international community with no other option than to pursue the military option against those within the armed group that are unwilling to voluntarily disarm”. They are therefore calling on the government of the DRC and Monusco (UN mission for the stabilisation of the DRC) including its intervention brigade, to take all the necessary measures to disarm the FDLR, in compliance with the Security Council resolutions (2098 of 2013 and 2147 of 2014).
They are encouraging the signatories of the peace, security and cooperation peace agreement for the DRC and the region to fulfil their commitments to respect their respective sovereignty and not provide refuge or protection to those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, acts of genocide or crimes of aggression and underline the importance of a global approach to tackle the roots of the conflict and instability. This joint appeal was launched by the UN Special Envoy, Said Djinnit, the UN Special Representative and head of Monusco, Martin Kobler, the African Union's Special Representative, Boubacar Diarra, the Coordinator in Chief of the EU for the Great Lakes Region, Koen Vervaeke, the US Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region and the DRC, Russell D. Feingold and the Belgian Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Frank de Coninck. (AN)