Security Council demands Ugandan, Rwandan withdrawal

The UN Security Council on Friday demanded that Uganda and Rwanda, which had violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, “withdraw all their troops from the country’s territory without further delay.” In a unanimously-adopted resolution, it also called for each phase of this withdrawal to be reciprocated by the other parties involved in the DRC conflict in conformity with the same timetable. The Council also said Rwanda and Uganda “should make reparations for the loss of life and the property damage inflicted on Kisangani’s civilian population” as a result of serious clashes between their two armies in the northeastern DRC city. As a basis for such reparations, it requested UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to submit an assessment of the damage. The Council also called on all the Congolese parties to engage fully in the inter-Congolese dialogue, as provided for in the Lusaka peace agreement. In particular, it called on the government of President Laurent-Desire Kabila to reaffirm its commitment to the dialogue, “to honour its obligations in that regard and cooperate with the facilitator appointed by the OAU [former Botswana president Ketumile Masire], and to allow the full participation of political parties and civil society groups.” Security Council members also demanded that all parties cease all forms of assistance and cooperation with the armed groups referred to in Chapter 9 of the Ceasefire Agreement - including the Interahamwe, ex-Forces armees rwandaises (FAR), Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD) and others. The Security Council also expressed its readiness “to consider possible measures which could be imposed in accordance with its responsibility” to achieve full implementation of the resolution. [Full Security Council resolution at: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/20000616.sc6877.doc.html]