Online Reporter
Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has stated that the Congolese people are ready to find peace in their country.
His comments come as DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame held direct talks for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in the eastern region.
In a joint statement issued alongside Qatar, whose emir mediated the talks in Doha, the countries called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”.
“The Heads of State then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” the statement reads.
Kabila mentioned that he had met with various stakeholders within the country, and they are committed to working for peace. He recently met former President Thabo Mbeki at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in Johannesburg to discuss the DRC crisis.
“We are ready to work and continue working for peace, to actively pursue peace, and that was our attitude 22 years ago when we went to Sun City,” he said.
“Our attitude today, more informed, is different, but we are ready to rise again, be on the move, and work for peace in any capacity.”
Kabila urged the Congolese people to stop blaming other countries for their own problems, emphasising that the crisis in Congo is internal and can only be resolved by its citizens. He also welcomed the SADC decision to withdraw troops from the DRC.
“Congo cannot continue to be this ‘crybaby’ in the region, talking about how weak it is and how strong everybody else is. To me, it’s not the right approach, but as a Congolese, what interests me and what interests the Congolese people is how we deal with the situation ourselves.”
The DRC has accused Rwanda of sending weapons and troops to support the M23 rebels, a claim that Rwanda has denied.
The talks followed the withdrawal of M23 representatives from a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola on Tuesday, after the European Union imposed sanctions on several senior members of the group, including leader Bertrand Bisimwa.
In a statement, M23 stated that the sanctions “seriously compromise direct dialogue and prevent any progress”.
The EU also imposed sanctions on three Rwandan military commanders and the head of the country’s mining agency for their support of the M23 fighters. — SABC News/Reuters
