Rebels support humanitarian ceasefire proposal

DRC rebels have assured a senior UN official that they would observe a temporary ceasefire to allow the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance to affected populations, particularly the vaccination of children, a UN press release said on Friday. It said that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, had received these assurances from RCD leader Ernest Wamba dia Wamba. Otunnu has been visiting several countries in the region.

Moncef Khane, First Officer in Otunnu’s office, told IRIN today that Otunnu and Wamba dia Wamba had met in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi on 22 February and the rebel leader had agreed in principle to the idea of declaring “days of tranquility” in rebel-held areas for specific humanitarian activities. However, no dates or time-period had been set. “There was agreement in principle but the modalities still need to be worked out,” Khane said. Other issues discussed at the Gisenyi meeting were the demobilisation of child soldiers and the investigation of reported civilian massacres in rebel-held areas, he said.