Rebels hold unity talks

The three DRC rebel groups are to initiate talks aimed at their unification into one rebel movement, according to Emile Ilunga, the leader of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma). He told IRIN in an interview that his movement had held talks with Jean-Pierre Bemba of the Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC) and Ernest Wamba dia Wamba of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-ML). “We all agree in principle on [forming] a common front,” he said. He added that “as a gesture of goodwill”, the RCD-Goma would be sending a senior delegation to Gbadolite this weekend for talks with Bemba “to express solidarity with regard to the ongoing aggression against his movement by Kabila”. Ilunga also said the RCD- Goma would “welcome back” members of the RCD-ML. “They are our people,” he told IRIN.