Kisangani “a test for UN deployment” - Morjane

The demilitarisation of Kisangani was a test for the deployment of UN troops in the rest of the DRC, UN Special Representative to the DRC, Kamel Morjane, told reporters in Kinshasa on Wednesday. “Kisangani, for us, is a test for our future deployment in the DRC, an opportunity to show that it is possible to achieve something with the good faith and commitment of all sides.” According to UN officials, he said the rebel RCD-Goma had not yet pulled out of Kisangani, but negotiations were underway with the UN observer mission, MONUC, for the RCD’s withdrawal. Morjane said the Rwandan army had moved its troops 100 km away, as required in the demilitarisation agreement, and Ugandan forces were expected to comply by Thursday, news organisations reported. He called on all the DRC combatants to honour their commitments under the Lusaka ceasefire agreement in order to allow the UN Secretary-General to recommend a deployment date for the 5,500 strong UN force approved by the Security Council on 24 February.