DR of Congo: Security Council condemns renewed fighting by rebel factions

The members of the United Nations Security Council today strongly condemned renewed fighting by rebel factions in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In a statement to the press, the Council's President, Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia, said the members expressed their deep concerns over the serious human rights violations that took place and the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians caused by the recent military activities involving the RCD-National/MLC and the RCD-K/ML in Ituri.

The members stressed that such fighting "clearly violated the letter and spirit" of the all-inclusive agreement on the political transition in the DRC, which was signed in Pretoria on 16 December, and the truce that was brokered by the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) in Ituri, Ambassador Valdivieso said.

Council members also called on all Congolese parties to immediately cease hostilities and to implement the Pretoria Accord expeditiously by putting in place without delay the transitional arrangement. "In particular, they also called for the RCD-National/MLC to cease further offensives, to meet with the RCD-K/ML leadership in the presence of diplomatic representatives, and for all parties involved in Ituri to cooperate with MONUC to put in place the truce that had been agreed, including the establishment of the military contact group, and to allow unhindered access to humanitarian relief," Ambassador Valdivieso said.

The statement also condemned the fighting between RCD-Goma and armed groups in South Kivu (Uvira), according to the Council President, who added that members "also called upon all concerned to stop materiel support to the parties engaged in military activities in the northeast and the Kivus."