UN approves deployment of mission in east

The UN Security Council supported on Wednesday initiaion of the next phase of the UN peacekeeping operation (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a move that involves the deployment of UN troops and military observers towards the east of the country, UN News reported.

In a statement from its president, Ambassador Richard Ryan of Ireland, the Council reminded all parties to the DRC conflict that it was up to them to create the conditions needed for the start of MONUC's third phase by fully implementing their commitments. The Council would then decide on the future of Phase III after seeing commitment to moving the peace process forward.

The Council expressed its concern at the worsening humanitarian and human rights situation and reiterated its call for all parties to correct rights abuses in all government and rebel-held territories.

The Council issued its statement following meetings that included a briefing by Amos Namanga Ngongi, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative to the DRC, who introduced the Annan's latest report on MONUC. The 16 Oct report contains recommendations for the mission's Phase III involving the total withdrawal of all foreign forces from DRC territory, and the disarmament, demobilisation and repatriation of non-signatory armed groups.

Briefing the 15-member security body on events since the report's issue, Ngongi said the inter-Congolese dialogue, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15 to 21 October, was attended by 80 of the expected 300 participants and did not lead to agreement on substantive issues. However, he said the dialogue will resume in South Africa at a date to be arranged.

On the subject of demobilisation, Ngongi said that, as a result of further discussions with the Kinshasa government, MONUC had sent another team to Kamina in the southeastern province of Katanga on Wednesday to continue efforts to demobilise and repatriate the 3,000 Rwandan former combatants there.

While all Council members supported the proposals in Annan's report, many speakers said the presence of armed groups that were non-signatories to the 1999 Lusaka peace agreement would present a major challenge to Phase III. They called on the signatories of Lusaka to provide information on those armed groups and to also cease providing support to such organisations.

Nearly all speakers spoke of the need for a speedy demilitarisation of the northeastern DRC city of Kisangani. Some said the disregard of UN resolutions to that effect was now "flagrant".