While the M23 had until March 30 to withdraw from North Kivu, the rebels are still present. And fighting continues in eastern DRC.
This Friday, March 31, the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should have regained its calm, if everything had gone as planned. But the timetable decided at the extraordinary summit of the East African Community (EAC) last February has only been a beacon of hope for the optimists.
This calendar provided for an "immediate ceasefire" on February 4 - postponed to the following month - while it was then decided that the M23 rebels had until March 10 to withdraw from Karenga, Kilolirwe, Kitchanga , Kibumba and Rumangabo. Then until March 20 to leave Kishishe, Bambo, Kazaroho, Tongo and Mabenga. Finally, this Thursday, they should have left the region for good.
But on March 30, the M23 group was, according to the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), still present. A failure to respect the EAC timetable which marks a new stage in the negotiations: failure is imminent and the conflict in the east of the country is not about to stop. Last Friday, the EAC chiefs of staff deplored the delay in the deployment of Ugandan and South Sudanese troops there.
Resumption of fighting
Moreover, the non-respect of the calendar by the rebels was symbolized by new fighting between FARDC and the M23. Suffice to say that relations between Rwanda, which, according to the United Nations, supports the M23, and the DRC should not improve in the coming months.
If the ceasefire had never been respected, Kinshasa hoped that the allies of Paul Kagame would succeed in convincing the latter to withdraw the troops of the M23 from the DRC. But the Rwandan president has apparently turned a deaf ear. Worse, the fighting that was observed yesterday was particularly violent.
The province of North Kivu is therefore still in the hands of the M23. And the movement does not hide: Bertrand Bisimwa, one of the leaders of the M23, writes on social networks: the most secure in the DRC. Our populations, all ethnic groups combined, live in harmony and go about their business freely night and day”.
For the EAC, the deployment of Ugandan and South Sudanese contingents, in addition to Kenyan and Burundian forces, should, however, resolve part of the problem. Except that, on the side of Uganda, we assure that there is no question of attacking the M23. The mission of the East African contingent should be to “witness and ensure the implementation of decisions taken by Heads of State”.