Title: Nineteen Congolese organizations call for immediate action to end the security crisis in eastern DRC
Introduction :
In a joint statement, nineteen Congolese citizen organizations, non-violent and non-partisan, expressed their concern over the worrying security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in North Kivu and Ituri. . These movements, including LUCHA, Filimbi, Veranda Mutshanga, and others, call for urgent measures to put an end to the military operations and the presence of the East African Community (EAC) force suspected of collaborating with the M23 rebellion. They are also calling for an accelerated withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO.
Concrete actions to restore security:
In their statement, the citizen organizations recommend several measures to resolve the security crisis in eastern DRC. First of all, they demand that the government immediately put an end to the military operations and the presence of the EAC force, accused of cohabiting with the M23/RDF instead of fighting it. They also call for a rapid withdrawal of MONUSCO, whose mandate would not be adapted to the current situation. According to these organisations, MONUSCO limits itself to an observer role in the face of the most heinous crimes committed in the region.
Pro-democracy movements are also calling on the government to relaunch large-scale military operations against armed groups such as the M23/RDF, ADF, CODECO, and others, with priority given to the extirpation of officers and soldiers suspected of serious human rights violations and collusion with armed groups. They stress the importance of the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Reintegration and Stabilization Program (PDDRC-S) in order to provide an effective and safe exit route for combatants from local armed groups seeking to lay down their arms.
The call for the replacement of the former leader of the PDDRC-S, Tommy Tambwe, by serious and credible animators, is also mentioned in the declaration of the citizens’ organisations.
Conclusion :
The security crisis in eastern DRC continues to cause concern among Congolese citizen organizations. Faced with this worrying situation, they call on the government to take immediate action to put an end to military operations, to the presence of the EAC force, and to accelerate the withdrawal of MONUSCO. These civic organizations also stress the importance of reviving military operations against armed groups by eliminating corrupt elements and implementing disarmament and reintegration programs for combatants from local armed groups.. It is now essential that the government respond to this call and take concrete steps to restore security and stability in eastern DRC