A report on allegations of a renewed stand-off between belligerent parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been given to African Union chairman and South African president Thabo Mbeki, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
It said the report was compiled by a fact-finding mission — the Third Party Verification Mechanism (TPVM) — after visiting the three parties implicated in the impasse. These are Rwanda, Uganda and the East of the DRC.
Allegations had been received since the beginning of March of threatening troop presence and movements from different competing forces in the East of the DRC.
Uganda and Rwanda alleged there was an existence of threats to their security because of the movement of DRC troops in the region.
Mbeki instructed the TPVM — chaired by Billy Masetlha — to visit the three Southern African countries before the stand-off exploded into an open conflict. The TPVM embarked on a 10-day visit as from March 15.
The department said the TPVM report covered a wide range of issues, and the work on some of them would continue, which included inspections to sites a TPVM Verification Team had not been able to secure permission to visit.
In the report the TPVM called on all parties involved in the conflict, to find a way of expressing themselves, by using a peaceful platform.
”It is important for all parties involved in the DRC peace process to note that the DRC is at a point where political players are supposed to be concluding a peace agreement,” it said. – Sapa