Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMG-TF)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000007 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG SUBJECT: Joint Monitoring Task Force (JMG-TF) Meeting of 4 January 2008 REF: (A) 07 Kinshasa 1419; (B) 07 Kinshasa 1426 ¶1. Refs (A) and (B) are reports on two prior meetings of the JMG-TF. ¶2. Following are highlights of the Task Force Meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group held in Goma on January 4, 2008. Participants -------------- ¶3. Moderator: Gernot Sauer, Acting Head of MONUC's Goma Office Rwandese Delegation: Major Franco Rutagengwa, Head of delegation Mr. Fidele Mwinyaishaka, Mr. James Burabyo Mr. Damascene Rutadasingwa DRC Delegation: Colonel Augustin Mamba, Head of delegation Major Ambroise Nanga Lumbeku Observers: Mr. Hugues Chantry, EU (Belgian Consul General Bukavu) Lt. Colonel Yotto Sosthene, AU Mr. Victor Bushamuka, U.S. (USAID/OFDA) Others: Mr. Jean Baptiste Fortes, MONUC Secretariat MONUC DDRRR Representative (name not obtained) ¶4. The meeting started at 11:00 and was opened with introductory remarks from the moderator followed by the heads of delegations and the observers. Agenda: -- Adoption of minutes of previous meeting -- Updates by parties on steps taken to implement the Nairobi Communique -- Follow up on the recommendations made to the Envoys -- Any other business -- Closing remarks Meeting highlights -------------- ¶5. Both parties reiterated their commitment to the implementation of the Nairobi Communique. The DRC reported that its Government (GDRC) had officially presented its plan to disarm all armed groups operating in the country and has lunched its awareness campaign ("sensibilization") for disarmament. The Rwandan delegation stated that the Government of Rwanda (GOR) has completely sealed its borders by increasing its police and military presence on all its borders with DRC. The GOR is also working closely with the GDRC and MONUC to keep its borders completely sealed and said that armed groups operating in the DRC will not get assistance of any sort from the GOR. To facilitate the return of ex-FAR/Interahamwe, the GOR has increased the number of assistance programs targeting returnees from DRC. ¶6. According to the GOR delegation, the Nairobi Communique considered the ex-FAR/Interahamwe as the main threat to both countries. Therefore, the Rwandans said, the ex-FAR problem should be addressed by the GDRC on a priority basis. Nkunda, the Rwandans continued, is an internal DRC problem and should be dealt with after the ex-FAR. The Rwandans alluded to the Nairobi Communique to justify this argument: The ex-FAR/Interahamwe are the first to be cited in the Communique and they are mentioned more than any other armed group, a clear indication of the importance of the ex-FAR problem. ¶7. The GDRC delegation replied that it had information to show that the GOR continues to supply Nkunda with new recruits, soldiers and materiel using Runyonyi and Ruhengeri as entry points. The GDRC has recently arrested a number of trucks with Rwandan citizens on their way to Nkunda-controlled areas. The GOR delegation retorted that it had indications of the presence of ex-FAR/Interahamwe leaders in Goma waiting to participate in the upcoming Peace Conference. ¶8. The GOR promised to hand over the list of ex-FAR Interahamwe responsible of the 1994 genocide. However, the GOR is not yet ready, but will provide the list as soon as possible. Since the Nairobi Communique did not specify a date when the list has to be provided, the GOR insisted that the GDRC should not wait for the KINSHASA 00000007 002 OF 002 list to move forward with its ex-FAR disarmament plan. ¶9. The last part of the meeting focused on recommendations to Envoys, including a request for clarification of the mandate of the Joint Verification Team. In this connection, the question arose as to whether the JMG-TF is the appropriate forum to address the kinds of allegations that had arisen during today's meeting. The envoys should define clearly the type of investigation and inspection to be undertaken by the JMG-TF and push for a UN Security Council resolution on ex-FAR/Interahamwe issue. Garvelink