FDLR tells BBC it will not adhere to Luanda Process resolutions; will not lay down arms and repatriate

FDLR spokesperson, Cure Ngoma has categorically stated that the genocidaires group will not heed the call by regional and international leaders to lay down arms and assemble for repatriation to Rwanda, where they will be integrated.

While speaking to a BBC journalist on Friday, November 25, days after resolutions from the Luanda Mini-Summit on Peace and Security resolved that all foreign armed groups in DRC must unconditionally comply to disarmament and repatriation. The FDLR spokesperson however, could not answer the BBC journalist’s question why the genocidaires outfit was holding DRC’s security at ransom, yet they claimed to be fighting to force Rwanda to have a dialogue with them.

The FDLR spokesperson also refuted claims by Tshisekedi that FDLR ceased to exist a long time ago, and stopped short of calling his sponsor Tshisekedi a pretender. Ngoma stated that FDLR is very present and controls territories in the North Kivu.

Ironically, while the focus seems to be on the M23 rebels, FDLR, who are inarguably the root cause of the security crisis in the Eastern DRC, seems to be enjoying hospitality from the DRC regime , and by extension, regional and international stakeholders who don’t give the issue of FDLR the seriousness it deserves.

Regional security pundits have started doubting the clout of the much-hyped peace mechanisms, as outcomes seem to be favouring only one side.

People of the region had hoped that sustainable peace in the Eastern DRC was finally in the offing, based on ‘home grown solutions.’ However, early indications portend the perpetuation of the existing vicious cycle, which edges the region to a security crisis.

For meaningful outcomes to be achieved, regional stakeholders need to go back to the drawing board and understand the root cause of the security crisis before embarking on the comprehensive engineering task of constructing a sustainable peace framework.

The Kinshasa regime cannot be the point of reference for this initiative, if a desirable outcome that benefits the entire region is to be achieved.