Security Council voices concern about Ituri region of DR of Congo

The members of the United Nations Security Council today voiced concern about the situation in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), calling on all sides in the conflict to end actions that might undo a fragile ceasefire plan in the area.

Council members "urged all Congolese parties and all states in the region to support the process initiated by the Ituri Pacification Commission and to refrain from any activity which could undermine this process," the President of the 15-nation body, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan, said in a press statement. "They reiterated that Uganda must fulfil its commitment to withdraw its forces from the Ituri area."

Commending the efforts of the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) in the region and expressing their full support for the Mission, Council members also condemned "in the strongest terms" all threats and harassments to MONUC personnel on the ground, Ambassador Akram said. They also expressed their condolences over the deaths of MONUC personnel from the Russian Federation and China, and the injuries received by a Rumanian member of the mission.

Council members also denounced the violence that took place recently in the Kivus and demanded that such acts of violence cease immediately. They "stressed that actions such as support to armed militias and fuelling of ethnic tensions are totally inconsistent with national and local efforts at peace unification and reconciliation, and must end immediately," the Council President said.

In addition, Council members reiterated that the leaders of all the warring factions should be held personally accountable for human rights violations committed in Ituri and other regions of the DRC, according to the statement, which also welcomed progress towards the establishment of the transitional government.

"The members of the Council noted the need to address these urgent issues during the upcoming Security Council mission to the region," Ambassador Akram said.