Rwandan rebels begin to surrender, but demand talks with Kigali
Photo: A militant from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda (FDLR) squats near a pile of weapons after their surrender in
Kateku, a small town in eastern region of the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), May 30, 2014.
(Reuters) - Rwandan rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
began what they claimed was the first step in disarming their fighters
on Friday, but warned that continuing the process would depend on the
government in Kigali agreeing to talks.
Kigali needs to come to the table now. I agree with the Kigali line
that you do not negotiate with terrorists and that is the only
possible way to describe the FDLR. This partial surrender however
changes the dynamics somewhat and if Rwanda is serious about cleaning
this mess up now is the time to compromise.
The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) said last
month that they would "lay down their weaponry and consecrate
themselves to political struggle."
About 100 fighters surrendered during a ceremony in North Kivu
province, handing in weapons including some heavy artillery, according
to a Reuters witness.
Charly Kasereka is on the ground in Bulessa Village which may suggest
that the surrender is gathering pace although I would take that with a
grain of salt.
Charly tweets: Just 105 militiamen with 102 weapons present at
much-touted #FDLR"surrender"
Photo: Charly Kasereka in a bulletproof (I assume) vest second from right.
"With this act of good faith the international community is called to
assume its responsibility to obtain a political dialogue among
Rwandans," said FDLR president, General Victor Byiringiro.
Authorities in Rwanda have repeatedly rejected the possibility of
negotiations with the FDLR, which Kigali considers a terrorist
organization that espouses a genocidal ideology.
The ball would seem to be in President Kagame's court.
Composed in part of former soldiers and Hutu militia who fled into
Congo after massacring around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus during
Rwanda's 1994 genocide, the FDLR has since sought to topple the
government of President Paul Kagame.
They are regularly accused of human rights abuses, including civilian
massacres. And this week FDLR fighters burned homes and schools in
North Kivu's Walikale district during clashes with a rival militia
group, according to United Nations-sponsored radio.
Their presence along the border has also served as a pretext for
Rwandan military interventions in Congo, helping fuel nearly two
decades of conflict there that have killed millions.
Friday's ceremony was attended by representatives of Congo's U.N.
peacekeeping mission, known as MONUSCO, the South African Development
Community (SADC), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes
Region.
The FDLR has on previous occasions said it was ready to disarm, only
to later backtrack. And most officials remained cautious, however, and
shied away from making pledges to support talks with the Rwandan
government.
"There will be no negotiations with the FDLR. They have offered to
surrender, and we will see if this process is effective," Congolese
government spokesman Lambert Mende said.
Over 25,000 FDLR fighters have demobilized since 2002, but those
numbers have slowed to a trickle in recent years. The estimated 2,000
remaining rebels have hidden themselves among communities in Congo's
dense forests.
Last year, bolstered by a special Intervention Brigade with a robust
mandate to carry out offensive operations, MONUSCO launched a military
campaign against the remaining armed groups operating in the volatile,
mineral-rich borderlands.
"We hope that the commanders join this process (of demobilization),
not just the militiamen, because we have a mandate to neutralize armed
groups and want to see an end to the FDLR in Congo," said one U.N.
official, who asked not to be named.
I will update this later. Hat Tip Charly Kasereka.
Posted by H Stewart at 6:26 PM 
Labels: Charly Kasereka, DR Congo, FDLR, Kagame, Rwanda
http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://hamishinauckland.blogspot.com/2014/05/dr-congo-fdlr-surrender-maybe-just-maybe.html&source=s&q=DR+Congo:+FDLR+surrender+%3F+Maybe+-+Just+maybe.&sa=X&ei=giGKU9-nC8eYyAT12IHICQ&ved=0CBUQFjAA
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