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Extremist Rebels Want to Return "In Dignity"

Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)

NEWS
19 October 2007
Posted to the web 19 October 2007
Kigali
Rwandan rebels holed up in the jungles of DR Congo since 1994 say they are
ready to surrender their weapons and return as per the Rome Declaration that
government officials here disregard, RNA reports.
"The FDLR remind the International Community that their members are willing to
go back to Rwanda in the framework of the implementation of the Rome
Declaration of 31 March 2005", the group - most of whom are wanted in Kigali
for Genocide said on Friday.
They want the International Community and the 'Mediator' in the process of Rome
to get actively and positively involved in the immediate implementation of all
commitments taken on both sides in Rome on 31 March and on 2 April 2005. The
mediator they refer to is the Community of Sant'Egidio.
In March 2005, officials from the UN, European Union and donor governments
converged in Rome - Italy for meetings that had largely been called at the
instigation of Rwandan opposition groups and DR Congo. The rebels had been
demanding talks with government. On March 31, a declaration was put to light.
In the same declaration, the FDLR denounced the Rwandan genocide and committed
to working with the instruments of international justice. More concretely, it
stated that, provided it was assured of unspecified "measures of
accompaniment", it would transform its struggle from a military to a political
one; voluntarily demobilise and repatriate its troops to Rwanda; and seek the
repatriation of all Rwandan refugees.
The Rwandan government, which was not at the Rome meeting, has always refused
political negotiations with a group considered to be criminal. The U.S and U.N
have actually listed senior top officials from the rebel outfit subject to
sanctions.
Government wants the DR Congo government to force the rebels out to have them
moved to Rwanda to face justice - a move UN forces and diplomats in DRC seem to
take with less enthusiasm.
This week, DRC President Joseph Kabila, the UN Envoy William Swing and the EU
repeated similar gestures in eastern DRC town of Goma when they met over the
renegade Gen. Laurent Nkunda.
Observers note that by reigning in on Gen. Nkunda, there will be no other
counter forces fighting the rebels and that would mean they will have open
corridors to launch attacks on Rwanda.
Finally, it is assumed that Rwandan authorities may be forced to talk to the
extremist group because they will not be able to pursue them in the DRC
jungles. Government forces and the UN would have occupied the whole region.
The Rebels say an International Steering Committee which "allows identifying
and implementing associated measures as it was agreed upon in Rome" should be
setup.

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