Rebel RCD resistant to Kisangani plan

Jean-Pierre Ondekane, vice-president of the Rwandan-backed RCD, has said it is not bound by the demilitarisation plan and his forces will not leave Kisangani, since it is a bilateral agreement between Uganda and Rwanda, news organisations reported on Friday. The RCD agreed with the spirit of the plan but considered that, as Congolese citizens in their own country, they should not be expected to withdraw from Kisangani, diplomatic sources informed IRIN. The RCD is reported to be concerned that Uganda, and the international community to an extent, have marginalised it and not dealt with it as a signatory in its own right of the Lusaka peace agreement. The RCD argues that if the rebel movements are considered merely as ‘non-state actors’, they could be all-too-easily confused with the armed groups and militias (the Mayi-Mayi, Interahamwe, ex-FAR and FDD among others) operating in DRC but not signatories to Lusaka, the sources added.

Uganda said on Friday that Ondekane’s statement was a setback for the demilitarisation plan.”When we met in Kampala on Monday we agreed that all rebel groups should get out of Kisangani. If the RCD-Goma stays, all the forces will remain and the demilitarisation agreement will be dead, with all the consequences,” a senior Ugandan army officer told IRIN. Uganda is also calling for the election of all local officials in Kisangani, including the governor, he said. The city is currently administered by the RCD.