Two rebel groups suspend participation in power-sharing talks

Two rebel factions fighting in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have suspended participation in the power-sharing talks taking place in the South African administrative capital, Pretoria. The Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Kisangani-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-K-ML) led by Mbusa Nyamwisi, and the RCD-National (RCD-N) led by Roger Lumbala announced at the weekend that they were withdrawing from the negotiations on a peace accord aimed at establishing a government of national unity. The two rival factions, which are both supported by Uganda, resumed fighting after RCD-K-ML broke a ceasefire agreement signed two weeks ago in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. Both groups are fighting for control of Bafwasende, Mambasa and other territories rich in minerals, including gold and timber, northeast of Kisangani, Orientale Province. RCD-N is supported by the Mouvement pour la liberation du Congo of Jean-Pierre Bemba. Before withdrawing from the talks, Lumbala proposed that Gabonese President Omar Bongo should replace the current mediator, the UN's Special Envoy to the DRC, Moustapha Niasse. Lumbala also demanded "strict equality in the representation of the entities present at the talks". The RCD-K-ML, which currently controls Mambasa, was on 29 November the first to announce its withdrawal from the talks. "We have left because the ceasefire is not observed, the mediator does not take account of the reality on ground, and the UN does not respect the positions held after disengagement, according to the Kampala plan," Kolosso Sumahili, the group's secretary-general, told IRIN. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the DRC, Amos Namanga Ngongi, has contacted the various rebel leaders to arrange a meeting for 7 December. "Mambasa frequently changes hands. We must work to stop this pointless slaughter," he said. In a separate development, DRC President Joseph Kabila said on Monday that his government would favour the holding of an international conference on peace, safety, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region.