Congolese M23 rebels say they are not warmongers

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Rebels from the M23 group in the Democratic Republic of Congo held a press conference Tuesday in which they said they are not interested in fighting but only want the government to deal with their grievances.

“We are not interested in fighting. We want peace. We are ready to stop fighting if DR Congo authorities listen to us and fulfill our demands,” said the group’s spokesman, Major Willy Ngoma, addressing journalists in the eastern border town of Bunagana, which they captured from DR Congo troops on Sunday.

Ngoma said their main demand is for the government to fulfill an agreement it signed with the rebels during peace talks on Dec. 12, 2013 in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.

“We are not interested in attacking DR Congo forces. All we want is the DR Congo government to fulfill what we agreed on in the Nairobi 2013 agreement and peace will prevail,’’ he said, without mentioning what was contained in the agreement.

The peace talks were held in Nairobi after M23 rebels had waged a war against the army for 18 months. Among their reasons for fighting was that their tribe, the Tutsis, was being discriminated against by the authorities.

Recently, the M23 started fighting against DR Congo forces near Bunagana, which is at the border with Uganda. On Monday, the rebels overpowered DR Congo forces and took over Bunagana and surrounding villages, which led to thousands of Congolese living near the border fleeing into Uganda.

Uganda Red Cross spokeswoman Irene Nakasiita said during an interview with Anadolu Agency that “It’s true that many Congolese are crossing into Uganda in big numbers due to intensified fighting back home in DR Congo. The situation is tense.”

Authorities on the Ugandan side of the border say they are getting overwhelmed by the large number of refugees fleeing into the country.