Northern Kivu MPs
Seventeen Members of Parliament(MPs) from the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) to embrace the path of talks with M23 rebels as the national army continues to suffer defeat.
The MPs expressed themselves through an open letter addressed to President of DRC, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi on February 28.
The MPs proposed cessation of hostilities; the immediate disengagement of the M23 rebels through peaceful settlement of the crisis in the Eastern Congo in order to avoid recording other deaths, which are already numbered in hundreds innocent civilians.
They also propose their involvement in the conduct of the peace process and the opening of humanitarian corridors in the war torn areas.
The MPs of North Kivu also asked their Government to explain why armed groups including the self-proclaimed Democratic Forces for Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are located on their territory and consider deporting them. Rwanda has been asking for eradication of FDLR terrorists who are a threat to its security. However, DRC uses them to fight alongside the regular army, which allows them to continue committing crimes, including killing Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese Tutsi.Findings in the latest report of UN experts also elaborated on various ways DRC army has integrated FDRLR.
The MPs asked their government to take measures that would enable electoral process to take place within the constitutional boundaries.
