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UN Security Council voices support for military action against armed group FDLR

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council on Thursday voiced support for joint military operations by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and UN mission in the country to demobilize the armed group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

In a presidential statement adopted here, the council noted that the FDLR "has not only failed to unconditionally and fully surrender and demobilize, but has also continued to recruit new fighters in their ranks."

It stressed that the approximately 300 FDLR members that have surrendered, consisting of non-essential fighters, do not meet the condition of full demobilization of the armed group as required.

As the primary remnant Rwandan Hutu rebel group fighting in the eastern part of the DRC, the FDLR is recognized by the Council as a group whose leaders and members were among the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

The deadline for the FDLR to disarm voluntarily or face military action, set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), expired on Jan. 2, 2015.

Thursday's statement reiterated the need for the DRC, together with United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo to neutralize the FDLR "by commencing military operations immediately."

Calling on DRC authorities to swiftly approve such joint action, the Council reiterated its readiness to consider targeted sanctions against any individual or entity found to be supporting the FDLR.

"The Security Council further recalls that the swift neutralization of the FDLR is a top priority in bringing stability to and protecting the civilians of the DRC and the Great Lakes region, in line with the wider commitments made in the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the DRC and the region," the statement said.

It also emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of the conflict in eastern DRC and on a need for a comprehensive approach to restore peace and stability in the affected areas.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday spoke to the DRC President Joseph Kabila through a phone call, urging decisive action against the FDLR.

A Joint Summit of Heads of State and Government of SADC and the ICGLR will take place on Jan. 15-16 in Luanda, Angola to review the situation related to the voluntary disarmament of the FDLR and to decide on the appropriate action to be taken following the expiry of the deadline that had been set. Endite