M23-DRC peace talks in Doha suspended. Image: ALJAZEERA
(The Post News)– The M23 rebel group in the eastern DRC has withdrawn from peace talks with the government. The rebel group accused the Congolese army of breaching a previous ceasefire agreement.
Reports indicate that Qatar is mediating a series of negotiations, including the peace talks scheduled for Monday. Fighting between the two sides intensified in January. The M23 seized significant areas of the mineral-rich east, including the regional capital Goma.
Last month in Qatar, the rebels and the government signed a ceasefire aimed at paving the way for a lasting peace deal. However, on Monday, as the talks were set to resume, the M23 announced that its representatives were absent from Qatar.
According to M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the Congolese government “doesn’t want peace.” He said, “The authorities are not respecting the provisions of the ceasefire deal.” Kanyuka added that the government forces “have continued to attack our positions, even though the agreement clearly states both sides must refrain from assaults.”
The Congolese military has accused the M23 of carrying out alleged daily assaults in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Officials are expected to finalize the peace agreement in Qatar by Monday.
On Sunday, an anonymous official from Qatar reported that a draft agreement was shared with DR Congo and the M23. The agreement is linked to a separate peace agreement between DRC and Rwanda, brokered by the United States in June. Kinshasa, along with the UN and several Western nations, has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23.
Kanyuka said in a statement, “The AFC/M23 hereby reaffirms its full commitment to the Doha Peace Process and emphasizes that only the full implementation of the Declaration of Principles will enable the next round of talks to proceed, which should be based on the root causes of the conflict.”
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