AFC/M23: Kinshasa’s delay prevents Doha negotiations
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) rebels in eastern DR Congo has stated that, in contrast to recent media reports and social media rumors, no definitive peace agreement is prepared to be signed in Qatar. This occurs a few days after Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached a peace deal on June 27.
The rebel movement reiterated its commitment to the Doha peace talks in a statement released on Thursday, July 3, but maintained that the Congolese government must first fulfill important trust-building steps.
Following a press conference in Goma, the rebel-held capital of North Kivu Province, on Thursday, rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said, “While fully committed to the Doha talks, there isn’t yet a final draft of the agreement ready to be signed in Qatar at present, contrary to information circulating on social networks and statements made by Mr. Massad Boulos, Africa Advisor to President Donald Trump, on France 24.”
The rebel alliance made it clear that it is still waiting for Kinshasa to implement the trust-building steps that it believes are necessary to enable fruitful negotiations.
The Congolese government and AFC/M23 are holding discussions in Qatar with the goal of resolving the underlying causes of the violence in eastern DR Congo in order to supplement the Rwanda-DR Congo peace pact.
Kanyuka said in a statement at a press conference in Goma on Thursday, “We are still waiting for the Kinshasa regime to honor the trust-building measures, which are essential for facilitating productive talks as initially required.”
While AFC/M23 is still totally dedicated to the process, Kanyuka emphasized that “it is the Kinshasa regime that continues to obstruct progress in the talks.”
The rebel movement made public the contents of the current draft paper, which lists eight main demands, in an effort to combat rumors and conjecture on social media.
The rebels made it clear that until both sides reach a consensus, the document is still unofficial and non-binding.
AFC/M23 demands, among other things, that President Felix Tshisekedi make an official announcement outlining his regime’s political willingness to negotiate directly with the movement. In order to facilitate the conduct of political negotiations, it also calls for the revocation of the decision passed by the Congolese National Assembly on November 8, 2022, as well as all other restrictions placed on AFC/M23 by Kinshasa.
The text also demands that any death sentences, court cases, arrest warrants, and bounties posted on the heads of AFC/M23 leaders and members be revoked because they impede efforts at peace. Additionally, the campaign calls for the immediate release of all military officers and citizens who have been detained or suspected of collaborating with it because of their social, professional, or familial links.
It begs Kinshasa to criminally sanction hate speech, persecution, and acts of violence, including cannibalism, that target people based on their language, facial traits, or alleged ties to the uprising. It also demands recompense for material and moral damages.
Additional requests include the restoration of freedom of movement and trade, the abolition of ethnic discrimination and the denial of citizenship rights to targeted communities, and the provision of official documentation, including travel documents, to residents of areas controlled by AFC/M23.
Other demands include the restitution of AFC/M23 officials’ confiscated or looted property, the Central Bank restarting banking and customs operations in rebel-controlled areas, and payment for losses incurred.
On June 30, a civilian plane carrying relief to Minembwe, South Kivu, was bombed by the Congolese army. Food and medical supplies for the region’s most vulnerable residents were being sent by the airplane. AFC/M23 accused the Congolese government of ethnic cleansing and denounced the strike as “barbaric.”
