The Mouvement de liberation congolais (MLC) component of the Congolese Liberation Front (CLF) on Tuesday said it would only withdraw its troops from areas it controls if security can be guaranteed in eastern DRC. In an interview with Gabonese radio, MLC secretary-general Olivier Kamitatu said the movement did not want a repetition of civilian sufferings. “We have therefore expressed our concerns to the ambassadors of countries that are permanent members of the Security Council...and we are awaiting their response before committing ourselves,” he said. He stated that previous withdrawals from MLC frontlines in Zongo, Dongo and Libenge in Equateur province had resulted in “civilian massacres” by government troops and its allies. “So this time, we do not want to risk the lives of our people and ...we need guarantees - serious guarantees - from the UN Observer Mission in Congo [MONUC] before assuming this responsibility,” Kamitatu said.
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