RCD-Goma rebel leader on Annan’s visit to Kisangani

Speaking to rebel-controlled RTNC radio on Tuesday, chairman of the Rwandan-backed Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) rebel movement Adolphe Onusumba Yemba said that during his meeting on Monday with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan they “exchanged views on the peace situation in Congo. We talked about the inter-Congolese dialogue and the Gaborone preparatory meeting, about security in our country, the issue of foreign troops and that of negative forces, but also about an issue which is surely minor but which the public is eager to hear about, that of the demilitarisation of Kisangani.” Asked by a journalist as to what, specifically, was discussed with regard on the matter of demilitarisation of Kisangani, Onusumba replied that the RCD-Goma “reiterated [its] position. Our argument was as follows: We conquered Kisangani at the cost of blood, so one cannot come and say we should leave the town [of Kisangani] - and then we leave the town to vultures. Such behaviour would be irresponsible on our part. So instead [Annan] asked us to suggest other solutions instead of normal demilitarisation. So in fact [Annan] understood the issue. There was therefore very significant progress in the UN position on the issue of Kisangani.”

Asked the contents of a message conveyed to him by DRC President Joseph Kabila, Onusumba said Kabila “wished for [RCD-Goma] commitment to peace; he shared his fraternal greetings and also his commitment to peace in the DRC.”

Asked of any progress being made on the disarmament of negative forces, Onusumba said that “concrete proposals were made - all these things are very encouraging”. But the complicated thing in this issue of negative forces is that the UN wants us to inform them [UN] of the exact number of the negative forces wherever we believe these negative forces are grouped together, which is not possible. So we urged [Annan] to ensure that the [Kinshasa] government commits itself sincerely. Indeed it is the [Kinshasa] government which is giving logistical and military backing to these forces, so it should give the exact number, the real size of the troops so that demobilisation and disarmament can be carried out easily.”