27 October 2014 – Amid continuing flare-ups of deadly violence and a tenuous humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) in the vast African nation today underlined the need for a “proactive, not reactive” response in countering the country’s rebel groups and boosting protection for civilians. In his briefing to the Security Council, Special Representative Martin Kobler noted that despite initial hopes that “the seeds of peace” would spread throughout the DRC’s Eastern regions, recent outbursts of violence in villages in and around the city of Beni had reminded the world “just how fragile those hopes can be.” Mr. Kobler was referring to a series of massacres committed by the Ugandan-based Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels between 2 October and 17 October during which they “brutally massacred” over 80 civilians, mostly women and children, with machetes. The Special Representative cautioned that although the ADF had been weakened over the past few months as the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) captured strongholds and released hostages held by the rebels, they nonetheless continued to resist the Government forces. “These lamentable attacks, however, demonstrate the group’s resilience and their capacity to use asymmetric guerrilla and terrorist tactics against civilians,” Mr. Kobler explained. “Under pressure and on the run, they may be trying to draw FARDC attention away by attacking population centres,” he added.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49172#.VE7O6SLF-Lh
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 23:02:28 +0000
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