MLC explains refusal to sign Harare accord

The Gbadolite-based rebel group, Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC), on Monday said it declined to sign the troops disengagement agreement in the Zimbabwean capital Harare on 6 December, because it “did not want to be involved in the disintegration of Congo”. MLC official Olivier Kamitatu told IRIN the movement felt that the agreement was trying to provide a military solution to the DRC problem in disregard of a political one, thereby contravening the Lusaka agreement. “We want unity of the DRC. We are not against disengagement, but we strongly believe that disengagement alone, without the reconciliation of the Congolese, will be of no good to the country... It will be like breaking up the country,” Kamitatu said. The MLC considered the national dialogue provided for in the Lusaka agreement crucial to bringing the Congolese people together to solve their problems, he added.

“We would really urge the facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, Ketumile Masire, to do all he can with the support of the international community, so that the dialogue is held,” he said. “We also feel that the Political Committee [overseeing the Lusaka process] should pressure and work towards this,” Kamitatu added. The disengagement agreement was signed by the Goma-based Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD), and the Bunia-based RCD-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-ML), as well as the defence chiefs of the state actors involved in the DRC war. It stipulated that the belligerents should withdraw troops 15 km from frontline positions in the DRC within 45 days of 15 December.