UNSC condemns M23, expressed deep concern by neighbors support of Mutineers

http://columlynch.tumblr.com/post/33908133509/unsc-condemns-m23-expressed-deep-concern-by-neighbors   UNSC condemns M23, expressed deep concern by neighbors support of Mutineers Security Council Presidential Statement on the situation in eastern DRC   1. The Security Council expresses its deep concern regarding the deteriorating security and humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to ongoing military and other destabilizing activities of the 23 March Movement (M23) as well as other armed groups.   2. The Security Council strongly condemns the M23 and all its attacks on the civilian population, United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian actors, as well as its abuses of human rights, including summary executions, sexual and gender based violence and large scale recruitment and use of child soldiers. The Security Council also condemns the attempts by the M23 to establish a parallel administration and to undermine State authority. The Security Council demands that the M23 and other armed groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), cease immediately all forms of violence and other destabilizing activities.   3. The Security Council calls for perpetrators, including individuals responsible for violence against children and acts of sexual violence, to be apprehended, brought to justice and held accountable for violations of applicable international law. The Security Council expresses its intention to apply targeted sanctions against the leadership of the M23 and those acting in violation of the sanctions regime and the arms embargo and calls on all Member States to submit, as a matter of urgency, listing proposals to the 1533 Committee.   4. The Security Council expresses its deep concern with the increasing number of displaced persons and refugees, with 320,000 people displaced from their homes in North Kivu province since the M23 mutiny started in April 2012. It calls on all parties, in particular the M23, to allow safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access to the areas under the control of M23 and in the wider region in accordance with international law, including applicable international humanitarian law and the guiding principles of humanitarian assistance. It expresses concern about the shortfall in funding for humanitarian assistance and reiterates its call on the international community to provide appropriate humanitarian support. It also expresses concern at the possible negative impact of the prevailing situation in North Kivu on the security and humanitarian situation in South Kivu.   5. The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC and emphasizes the need to respect fully the principles of non-interference, good neighborliness and regional cooperation. It reiterates its strong condemnation of any and all external support to the M23. In this regard, the Security Council expresses deep concern at reports indicating that such support continues to be provided to the M23 by neighboring countries. The Security Council demands that any and all outside support to the M23 as well as other armed groups cease immediately.   6. The Security Council calls upon all countries in the region to condemn the M23 as well as other armed groups and to cooperate actively with the Congolese authorities in disarming and demobilizing the M23 as well as other armed groups and dismantling the M23 parallel administration.   7. The Security Council emphasizes the primary responsibility of the Government of the DRC to reinforce State authority and governance in eastern DRC, including through effective security sector reform to allow army and police reform, and to end impunity for abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and urges the Government of the DRC to address issues of illegal exploitation and smuggling of natural resources.   8. The Security Council welcomes the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General as well as of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union, to restore peace and security in Eastern DRC. It also stresses the urgency of constructive engagement and dialogue between the DRC and its neighbors, especially Rwanda, and the need to address the underlying causes of the conflict in eastern DRC. It calls on the UN Secretary General to continue his good offices and to explore, when appropriate, further high-level diplomatic mechanisms to facilitate enhanced dialogue between relevant parties, including on the underlying causes of the conflict.   9. The Security Council welcomes the establishment of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), which was launched by the ICGLR on 14 September as an important starting point for rebuilding confidence between the DRC and Rwanda. It further welcomes the support provided by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to the EJVM and encourages, in coordination with ICGLR members, the participation of MONUSCO, as appropriate and within the limits of its capacities and mandate, in the activities of the EJVM and the reporting on any flow of arms and related materiel across borders of Eastern DRC.   10. The Security Council takes note of the decisions by the ICGLR and the AU regarding the deployment of a "Neutral International Force" in eastern DRC and takes note of the ongoing coordination efforts between these organizations and the United Nations to clarify the objectives, modalities and means of the proposed Force in relation to MONUSCO.    11. The Security Council expresses its full support to the UN Group of Experts of the 1533 Committee and calls for enhanced cooperation between all States, particularly those in the region, and the Group of Experts, encourages further that all parties and all States ensure cooperation with the Group of Experts by individuals and entities within their jurisdiction or under their control and reiterates its demand that all parties and all States ensure the safety of its members, and unhindered and immediate access, in particular to persons, documents and sites the Group of Experts deems relevant to the execution of its mandate.   12. The Security Council expresses its full support to MONUSCO and commends the active measures it has taken to implement its mandate in eastern DRC, especially protecting civilians, and encourages the continuation of these efforts. The Security Council requests the Secretary General to present to the Security Council a special report on possible options, and their implications, for reinforcing the ability of MONUSCO to implement its mandate, including to protect civilians and report on flows of arms and related materiel across borders of Eastern DRC, focusing in particular on force multipliers. It calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission and reiterates its condemnation of any attacks on its peacekeepers. The Security Council recalls that the Congolese Government bears the primary responsibility for ensuring security in its territory and protecting its civilians. The Security Council recalls the importance of close consultations with troop- and police- contributing countries.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/19/us-congo-democractic-rwanda-un-idUSBRE89I14L20121019   U.N. Security Council plans sanctions on Congo rebels, others 1 of 3. M23 rebel fighters dance in celebration in the rain at Rumangabo, after government troops abandoned the town, 23km (14 miles) north of the eastern Congolese city of Goma, July 28, 2012. Credit: Reuters/James Akena By Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS | Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:50pm EDT UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council intends to impose sanctions on the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 rebels and others violating an arms embargo on the country, according to a statement the council unanimously adopted on Friday. Rwandan Defense Minister James Kabarebe is commanding the insurgency in eastern Congo that is being armed by Rwanda and Uganda, both of which also sent troops to aid deadly attacks, according to a U.N. experts' confidential report seen by Reuters on Tuesday. "The Security Council expresses its intention to apply targeted sanctions against the leadership of the M23 and those acting in violation of the sanctions regime and the arms embargo," the 15-member council said in the statement obtained by Reuters. The council strongly condemned any external support to the M23 rebels, expressed "deep concern at reports indicating that such support continues to be provided to the M23 by neighboring countries" and demanded that it stop immediately. The Security Council's Group of Experts said in its report that Rwanda and Uganda - despite their strong denials - continued to support M23 rebels in their six-month fight against Congolese government troops. The Security Council statement on Friday stressed "the urgency of constructive engagement and dialogue between the DRC and its neighbors, especially Rwanda, and the need to address the underlying causes of the conflict in eastern DRC." The Congolese government on Wednesday demanded targeted sanctions against Rwandan and Ugandan officials named in the U.N. experts' report. Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo on Thursday dismissed the idea that action should be taken on the basis of a report that she called flawed and untrue. She said the priority was to work out how to pacify the region. "It's wrong. This report is very problematic so anybody who would want to take action based on that report would be really unfortunate," Mushikiwabo told Reuters in an interview. AID WITHDRAWN Bosco Ntaganda, a former Congolese general wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, controls the rebellion on the ground, and M23 leader Sultani Makenga is in charge of operations and coordination with allied armed groups, the U.N. report said. Ntaganda and Makenga "receive direct military orders from RDF (Rwandan army) Chief of Defense staff General Charles Kayonga, who in turn acts on instructions from Minister of Defense General James Kabarebe," it said. Uganda and Rwanda have denied the accusations of involvement by the U.N. experts, who monitor compliance with sanctions and an arms embargo on the Congo. They delivered their report to the Security Council's Congo sanctions committee earlier this month. Nearly half a million people have been displaced due to the fighting. M23 has proven so resilient that one senior U.N. diplomatic source told Reuters that Rwanda has effectively "annexed" mineral-rich eastern Congo thanks to the rebel force. "The Security Council also condemns the attempts by the M23 to establish a parallel administration and to undermine State authority," it said in Friday's statement. Rwanda has backed armed movements in the Congo during the past two decades, citing a need to tackle Rwandan rebels operating out of Congo's eastern hills. The latest rebellion also is being funded by traders in Rwanda who are profiting from tin, tungsten and tantalum smuggled across the border from mines in the eastern DRC, according to the U.N. experts' report. The accusations have prompted the United States, Sweden and the Netherlands to suspend some aid to Rwanda, which relies on donors for about 40 percent of its budget. Last month the European Union froze further budgetary support to Rwanda. Mushikiwabo said it was "the biggest mistake" for any countries to withdraw aid over the U.N. report. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Xavier Briand)

It is good news for all Rwandan people that Andrew Mitchell, the former Secretary for International Development has now resigned

Andrew Mitchell, the former Secretary for International Development resigns over police comments row.

 

It is good news for all Rwandan people that this British man Andrew Mitchell has resigned.  As the former Secretary for International Development, he was a wrong man  for the job.

 

He has been contributing to political discrimination and human rights abuses in Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo through massive aid to the dictator and war criminal  Paul  Kagame. The man is a racist because he said publically on BBC that  hundreds of thousands  of Hutu refugee communities in DRC died of hunger, diseases and malnutrition. Even in this case, it is the dictator and war criminal Paul  Kagame caused these deaths.

 

British  foreign aid to Rwanda has contributed to legitimise Kagame's dictatorship  and political discrimination through British politicians and media's tireless praises to the Kagame' s regime.  There is no alternative Rwandan voice that could challenge the  similar British and Kagame's views because freedom of expression doesn't exist in Rwanda and opposition political parties are not allowed to operate in the country. The war criminal and dictator Paul Kagame  is the only man in the world who enjoys respect and praises from British politicians and media.

 

We call on British politicians and media to change their attitudes about Rwanda before it is too late. We call on British politicians and media to say that  we have had enough about what they say about Rwanda it that it is to time  let Rwandan discuss their affairs in a democratic way.

We call on British politicians people to refrain from blindly praising the dictator and war criminal Paul Kagame. This task should be left to Rwandan people including opponents to the current Rwandan regime.

 Source:

Andrew Mitchell resigns over police comments row

 

Andrew Mitchell has quit as government chief whip after criticism for making rude remarks to police officers at the gates of Downing Street.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19922026

 

RWANDA: Political prisoner INGABIRE verdict postponed to 30 October 2012

Kigali, 19 October 2012 RWANDA: Political prisoner INGABIRE verdict postponed to 30 October 2012. The High Court today postponed to 30 October 2012, 10:00 for the 4th time the verdict  in the "life sentence" case against political prisoner Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza,  FDU-INKINGI Chair, in maximum prison since 14 October 2010. The court informed the public that before the final ruling there is a need to "fast track the prosecution phrasing of genocide ideology charges and to include the Supreme court refusal of the constitutional review lodged by the defendant". This new adjournment comes amidst unrelenting interferences of President Paul Kagame and his government which has been shifting goals hoping to psychologically erode the moral of the political prisoner. This is taking the opposition to the saturation point. She was charged with forming an armed group with the aim of destabilising the country, complicity to acts of terrorism, conspiracy against the government by use of war and terrorism, inciting the masses to revolt against the government, genocide ideology and divisionism. A manhunt against FDU-INKINGI members in Rwanda is still underway. This intimidation has made the opposition stronger. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we will go for it until. Everybody knows that this kangaroo process is just a political masquerade aiming to stifle political competition. This regime knows very well that she is innocent. Rwandans from all the folks know that she is innocent. Many will march until freedom is won. We expected the international community and even friends of Rwanda to intercede on President Paul Kagame in order to make him understand how crucial this moment is for the future of Rwanda. The regime is celebrating the election of Rwanda to a non permanent rotating UN security council seat, seen as a long held dream. "The vote has been overshadowed by a leaked report from a UN council of experts that Rwanda's defence minister and army chief of staff were personally directing a campaign by M23, a guerilla movement in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo" (Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, The Telegraph 19.10.2012). FDU-INKINGI believes this is another dysfunction of the United Nations because the  Rwandan leadership has a case to answer regarding the M23 rebellion in the DRC. FDU-Inkingi Boniface Twagirimana Interim Vice president

Rwanda : l'opposante Victoire Ingabiré risque la prison à vie

Rwanda : l'opposante Victoire Ingabiré risque la prison à vie

 

A Kigali, la Cour suprême doit rendre ce vendredi 19 octobre son verdict dans le procès de Victoire Ingabiré pour complicité de terrorisme et propagation de l'idéologie génocidaire. Hier, nouvelle déception pour le camp de l'opposante qui contestait la constitutionnalité de la loi sur l'idéologie du génocide. Mais les juges ont rejeté le recours déposé contre ce texte. Loi sur laquelle s'appuie le parquet pour réclamer la prison à vie. Victoire Ingabiré, - qui avait voulu se présenter à la présidentielle de 2010 -, rejette les accusations portées contre elle et boycotte son procès.

 

http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20121019-rwanda-opposante-victoire-ingabire-risque-prison-vie