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Zambia Urges Congo Rebels to Immediately Issue Disengagement Orders
The Zambian government Wednesday appealed to the rebel Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) to immediately and unconditionally issue disengagement orders from its designated areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to facilitate the completion of the disengagement plan.
When officially opening the 12th meeting of the Joint Military Commission (JMC), Presidential Affairs Minister Eric Silwamba expressed concern that despite repeated assurances from MLC that it would disengage from its designated areas, it has not even issued disengagement orders.
The JMC is a regional military commission overseeing a peace agreement in the DRC. It comprises military officials from countries and rebel groups involved in the 30-month civil war.
The commission is meeting here to agree on a plan for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the DRC.
Silwamba, who is also minister of legal affairs, said the MLC, a Uganda-backed rebel group in the Congolese territory, remained the only party, which has not complied with the Kampala plan and Harare sub-plans signed late last year.
Also speaking earlier, JMC Chairman Brigadier-General Njuki Mwaniki said the verification for disengagement had gone on very well but anticipated problems in Mbandaka, eastern Congo, where the MLC had still not complied with disengagement plans.
He also said the progress on the withdrawal of foreign forces was still awaiting further information on the strengths, equipment and withdrawal routes as well as exit points.
He added that it was only after receiving the required information that defense chiefs would be invited to sign the withdrawal order.
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