RCD-Goma “willing to demilitarise” Kisangani

Speaking to Radio France Internationale (RFI) on Tuesday regarding discussions held with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Monday visit to Kisangani in northeastern DRC, Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) rebel movement spokesman Kin-Kiey Mulumba said “we do not intend to oppose a decision of the Security Council [which has made repeated appeals for the demilitarisation of Kisangani]. We are willing to demilitarise provided MONUC [UN mission in DRC] tells us what it plans to do in the event of an attack on the city by the Interahamwe militiamen who are nearby or by a brigade of [DRC President Joseph] Kabila’s troops. I believe that the secretary-general and the UN have a new understanding of the situation. The issue of the demilitarisation of Kisangani will gradually become less of an issue, especially as the inter-Congolese dialogue will now take place in Addis-Ababa and not in Kisangani.”
Though optimistic about the DRC peace process, which Mulumba said “is making real headway,” he remained wary on the issue of disarmament of “negative forces” - armed non-signatories to the Lusaka peace agreement. “Failing [the disarmament of negative forces] nothing will be solved. This would mean simply putting an end to the war in the DRC, but another war would still be going on, the war in Kivu.”