Kisangani, 12 December 2015 - The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the DRC, Mr. Maman Sambo Sidikou, arrived in Kisangani on Saturday 12 December 2015, accompanied by a large delegation which included the European Union Senior Coordinator for the Great Lakes region, Mr. Koen Vervaeke, the United States Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mr. Thomas Perreillo, the Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mr. Modibo Touré, and Mr. Kassimi Bamba representing the African Union.

They all wanted to see first-hand the situation of the FDLR ex-combatants who for seven months have been cantoned in the Lieutenant-General BAUMA camp located some ten kilometres from the city centre of Kisangani. .

In the presence of Congolese authorities, the delegation interacted g with these FDLR ex-combatants who voiced their concerns about their return to Rwanda and their living conditions in the camp. Their return, they said, depends on security conditions in Rwanda and the acceptance of a political dialogue by the Kigali government. They continued raising doubts about security conditions should they return to their native country.

However, the delegation encouraged them to accept to return to Rwanda. Some members of the delegation even said they had been to Rwanda and they had seen with their own eyes that those ex-combatants who have returned were living peacefully. The delegation also explained to these FDLR ex-combatants that it has no mandate to facilitate a political dialogue between them and the government of Rwanda.

These delegates from the international community even promised to facilitate this return on a purely humanitarian basis. In essence, they explained to these FDLR ex-combatants that, based on all available, nothing can today justify their presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As there was not enough time for further interaction, Mr. Maman Sidikou promised that he will come back to Kisangani in the near future to pursue this matter in greater depth.

Guy Karema