MONUSCO’s Martin Kobler witnesses the destruction of weapons in Goma

22 nov 2013

MONUSCO’s Martin Kobler witnesses the destruction of weapons in Goma

Goma, 20 November 2013 – Marking his first 100 days in office as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Martin Kobler led a special ceremony in Goma, North Kivu province, on 20 November 2013, during which a pile of weapons collected from ex-combatants of various armed groups in the country’s east were destroyed.

The core message from all speakers of the day was: all armed groups must be disarmed and prevented from causing harm to the population particularly civilians including children.

Nine hundred and twenty-six (926) firearms and 38,801 rounds of ammunition collected between October 2012 and November 2013 from various foreign and local armed groups, including the March 23 Movement (M23) were destroyed during this ceremony, which was also attended by the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflicts.

First to speak was the UN Special Representative and Head of MONUSCO, Martin Kobler, who was marking his first 100 days in office, which coincided with the 56th International Children’s Rights Day celebration. Mr. Kobler expressed joy over the military victory achieved by the Armed Forces of the D.R. Congo (FARDC), backed by the MONUSCO Intervention Brigade, against the M23 insurgents. This day is a significant one, he said, coming at a time when arms and ammunitions that are used to rape women and conscript children are being destroyed. “It gives me the motivation to work with all contingents of MONUSCO to bring durable and irreversible peace to the DR Congo at all times,” he said. The Special Representative conveyed his empathy to those Congolese who are particularly suffering as a result of armed groups still operating in the country, but promised that he will not forsake them.

Speaking at the ceremony, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, said: “These children were forced to carry these arms to use them to commit serious crimes such as raping women and setting villages ablaze”. Madam Zerougui said, these arms which were used by these children have been sowing the seeds of terror, desolation, and instability for many years in North Kivu. She emphasized that the illegal use of arms must be stopped, and all those who used them must go through the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, Repatriation, and Resettlement (DDR/RR) process led by MONUSCO.

Also present were several diplomats, various representatives of NGOs, and government officials, including the Governor of North Kivu, Julien Paluku. Addressing a crowd of nearly 200 participants, the Governor expressed hope that, with the destruction of these weapons, peace and stability will reign in the D.R. Congo in general and in North Kivu in particular. He pointed out that “the D.R. Congo authorities, regional leaders, and the international community should work together to arrest and bring to justice those who used these arms and recruited children in their armed groups”. He called on all armed groups still possessing weapons to hand them over to MONUSCO, the Congolese National Police and Army, and comply with the Government’s peace initiatives.

These weapons were collected from various armed groups by the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, Repatriation, and Resettlement (DDR/RR) DDR/RR Division of MONUSCO, and destroyed by the UN Mine Action Coordinating Center (UNMACC).

At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Kobler paid an impromptu visit to the DDR/RR transit camp where 155 ex-combatants of M23 and other armed groups assembled to greet him. He used the occasion to chat with some of the ex-combatants and gave them words of hope.

The Acting Director of the DDR/RR division, Jean Marc Tafani, expressed his gratitude to all those who made the occasion a success. Since 2002, the Division has repatriated nearly 30,000 foreign ex-combatants and their dependents to their countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.

Sam Howard/MONUSCO