Congo General Pledges War As Rebels Prepare To Quit Goma
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2012/11/congo-general-pledges-war-as-rebels.html
A Congolese government army commander said on Thursday only war could end a rebellion in the east by Tutsi-led insurgents as the rebels prepared to withdraw from the border city of Goma under a deal brokered by Uganda.
The comments from Congo's newly-appointed head of land forces Lieutenant-General Francois Olenga Tete appeared to fly in the face of international efforts to settle the conflict, and reflected anger in the army's officer corps at the prospect of any negotiation with the insurgents.
M23 rebels opposed to President Joseph Kabila seized Goma, provincial capital of Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern North Kivu province on November 20, after routing United Nations-backed government forces.
Rebel leaders have said they will quit the steamy lakeside city on the border with Rwanda in line with a deal announced at the weekend by presidents of Great Lakes states who fear the rebellion in Congo could escalate into wider conflict.
At Minova, a town held by the government army FARDC south of Goma, Olenga Tete said government troops were preparing to re-enter Goma after the rebels left it.
"I am going back to Kinshasa to prepare for war. I'm going to ask our leaders for permission to wage war. We don't want more negotiations. It's war that will bring peace to Congo," he said, as government soldiers mustered under a blazing sun.
Congo's ill-disciplined and demoralized army have suffered a succession of embarrassing defeats at the hands of M23 and many officers are appalled at any thought of a deal.
One rebel spokesman had said the withdrawal from Goma would take place on Friday, but another said it could take longer.
Defense officials from neighboring countries were due to travel to Goma to verify the planned pullback of the insurgents from positions in and around the city.
Congo's eastern borderlands have suffered years of recurring conflict stoked by long-standing ethnic and political enmities and fighting over the area's rich resources of gold, tin, tungsten and coltan, which is used to make mobile phones.
By late morning, lines of FARDC soldiers carrying weapons and ammunition were advancing north from Minova on the road to Goma, approaching to within a few kilometers of M23 positions. U.N. peacekeepers held ground between the two opposing forces.
M23 rebels opposed to President Joseph Kabila seized Goma, provincial capital of Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern North Kivu province on November 20, after routing United Nations-backed government forces.
Rebel leaders have said they will quit the steamy lakeside city on the border with Rwanda in line with a deal announced at the weekend by presidents of Great Lakes states who fear the rebellion in Congo could escalate into wider conflict.
At Minova, a town held by the government army FARDC south of Goma, Olenga Tete said government troops were preparing to re-enter Goma after the rebels left it.
"I am going back to Kinshasa to prepare for war. I'm going to ask our leaders for permission to wage war. We don't want more negotiations. It's war that will bring peace to Congo," he said, as government soldiers mustered under a blazing sun.
Congo's ill-disciplined and demoralized army have suffered a succession of embarrassing defeats at the hands of M23 and many officers are appalled at any thought of a deal.
One rebel spokesman had said the withdrawal from Goma would take place on Friday, but another said it could take longer.
Defense officials from neighboring countries were due to travel to Goma to verify the planned pullback of the insurgents from positions in and around the city.
Congo's eastern borderlands have suffered years of recurring conflict stoked by long-standing ethnic and political enmities and fighting over the area's rich resources of gold, tin, tungsten and coltan, which is used to make mobile phones.
By late morning, lines of FARDC soldiers carrying weapons and ammunition were advancing north from Minova on the road to Goma, approaching to within a few kilometers of M23 positions. U.N. peacekeepers held ground between the two opposing forces.
