Southern African nations are prepared to provide assistance to the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and send peacekeepers if needed, the head of a regional bloc said on Sunday.
Tomaz Salomao, the head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), told reporters after a summit meeting that the region backed calls for a ceasefire and the creation of a humanitarian corridor.
”SADC should immediately provide assistance to the armed forces of DRC,” he said, reading out the summit’s communiqué.
”SADC will not stand by and witness any destructive acts of violence by any armed groups … and if necessary will send peacekeeping forces,” he said.
Salomao said that a military advisory team would be deployed immediately to provide advice to the DRC’s armed forces, and that a military team would be sent to evaluate the situation on the ground to determine what other assistance might be needed.
A military monitoring commission will also be dispatched to monitor DRC’s border with Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, he added.
Salomao said the DRC armed forces need to be assisted to protect the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
He also said that the region would ask the United Nations to expand the mandate of its peacekeeping mission, known as Monuc, which is not allowed to engage in active clashes in eastern DRC.
”Our position is to request the secretary general of the UN to revise the terms of reference and mandate of Monuc,” Salomao said.
”Let’s wait, watch and see how the performance and behaviour of Monuc will be on the ground,” he said.
”Then we can take a further decision on deployment or not of peacekeeping forces in the SADC region.”
”We are aware that we are facing a tragedy and time is not on our side,” he said.
Salomao denied reports that Angolan soldiers had already deployed inside the DRC, but said they could be sent in quickly.
”If required, they will be on the ground soon, subject to the assessment and the report made by the military experts,” he said.
”The security situation in DRC is affecting peace and stability in the SADC and Great Lakes region,” he said.
Pro-government troops are battling rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) led by renegade Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda.
The United Nations and humanitarian aid groups said the latest round of fighting had displaced 253 000 civilians since September — and left at least 100 dead. – AFP
