M23 warns of ‘imminent genocide’ in DR Congo
The New TimesNov 23, 2022
On Wednesday, Angolan Foreign Minister Tete António announced that an agreement had been reached on an "immediate ceasefire" in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It's set to take effect on Friday, and is intended to help end militia violence and soaring tensions between the DRC and Rwanda.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between DRC Pres. Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta in the Angolan capital of Luanda. It follows a recent surge in fighting between Congolese troops and the M23 rebel group. Kinshasa argues that the M23 is backed by neighboring Rwanda — a claim Kigali rejects.
While Kinshasa puts all the blame for the violence on the M23, it has deliberately undermined all serious peace efforts in eastern Congo. And while the government is now engaged in so-called peace talks, the Congolese army and its militias are busy planning a genocidal campaign against the eastern Tutsi population. Until Kinshasa ends its double game, there will be no peace.
The road to peace in eastern Congo is long, but it's encouraging to see that Africa itself is taking the initiative and seems increasingly capable of resolving its conflicts on its own. That Paul Kagame obviously admitted to having influence over the M23 is a remarkable success of the EAC's peace efforts. Conditions for peace in eastern Congo are better than they have been for a long time.