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Head rebel 'backs DR Congo peace' Head rebel 'backs DR Congo peace'
(about 2 hours later)
Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has said he will support a peace process with the government of DR Congo, following talks with UN peace envoy Olusegun Obasanjo.Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has said he will support a peace process with the government of DR Congo, following talks with UN peace envoy Olusegun Obasanjo.
Gen Nkunda also said he had agreed to respect a ceasefire and open a corridor for aid. Mr Obasanjo said it would take effort from both sides to keep a truce. Gen Nkunda also said he would respect a ceasefire, if the Congolese government did. Mr Obasanjo said it would take effort from both sides to keep a truce.
The meeting came amid reports of fresh clashes in the east of the country.The meeting came amid reports of fresh clashes in the east of the country.
An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by the fighting between rebels and Congolese government troops. An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by weeks of conflict between rebels and government troops.
According to the AFP news agency, Gen Nkunda acknowledged that his forces had suffered heavy losses. class="bodl" href="#infographic">See detailed map of the area Speaking after the talks in the rebel-held town of Jomba, Gen Nkunda - wearing a grey suit rather than a military uniform - acknowledged that many lives had been lost in the fighting.
"Today is a great day for us because we were losing many men and now we have a message of peace. We should work with this mission," he is quoted as saying. "Today is a great day for us because we were losing many men and now we have a message of peace. We should work with this mission," he said.
"We agreed to open humanitarian corridors to support the process.""We agreed to open humanitarian corridors to support the process."
Speaking after the talks in the rebel-held town of Jomba, Mr Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, said they had gone "extremely well", Reuters reports. class="bodl" href="#infographic">See detailed map of the area
But he suggested that concerted efforts would be needed if the UN-backed peace initiative was to succeed. Mr Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, told reporters the discussions had gone "extremely well".
He said: "Nkunda wants to maintain a ceasefire but it's like dancing the tango. You can't do it alone." But he suggested concerted efforts would be needed for the peace initiative to succeed, saying: "Nkunda wants to maintain a ceasefire but it's like dancing the tango. You can't do it alone."
An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by the fightingMr Obasanjo had been greeted warmly by Gen Nkunda, who had exchanged his military uniform for a grey suit. An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by the fightingBBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle, in Goma, says Gen Nkunda reaffirmed his support for a ceasefire he had declared unilaterally a week ago, and repeated his demand for talks with the government on political, economic and security issues.
In the latest clashes on Sunday, witnesses reported hearing artillery, rockets and small arms fire near the village of Ndeko, about 55 miles (90km) north of provincial capital Goma and near the strategically important town of Kanyabayonga. None of this is new, our correspondent says, and some observers were surprised at how Mr Obasanjo appears to have been seduced by Mr Nkunda, who Congolese officials and human rights groups refer to as a "war criminal".
A UN military spokesman said soldiers from Gen Nkunda's rebel force and Congolese army troops had been involved in the fighting. It may be that Mr Obasanjo was expecting the rebel group to be a motley collection and when he saw that Mr Nkunda's troops were a well-equipped military unit, he was surprised, our correspondent adds.
BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle in Goma says the fact that fighting took place on the day of talks between Mr Obasanjo and Gen Nkunda was not a surprise, because both sides would want to negotiate from a position of military strength.
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan FDLR Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after the 1994 genocide.Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan FDLR Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after the 1994 genocide.
Mr Obasanjo, who met President Joseph Kabila on Friday, said the president had not laid down conditions for talks with the country's rebels. The government of DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila has to date rejected Gen Nkunda's calls for direct negotiation.
Mr Obasanjo, who met President Kabila on Friday, said the president had not laid down conditions for talks with the country's rebels.
The UN envoy also met members of DR Congo's parliament and ambassadors representing UN Security Council members in Kinshasa on Saturday.The UN envoy also met members of DR Congo's parliament and ambassadors representing UN Security Council members in Kinshasa on Saturday.
No conditions
In the latest clashes on Sunday, witnesses reported hearing artillery, rockets and small arms fire near the village of Ndeko, about 55 miles (90km) north of provincial capital Goma and near the strategically important town of Kanyabayonga.
UN peacekeepers protected a convoy delivering aid to eastern areasA UN military spokesman said soldiers from Gen Nkunda's rebel force and Congolese army troops had been involved in the fighting.
In a recent BBC interview, Gen Nkunda said he wanted to take over the whole of Congo.In a recent BBC interview, Gen Nkunda said he wanted to take over the whole of Congo.
This was obviously propaganda, our correspondent says, but it scared many Congolese people because they, on the whole, believe that Gen Nkunda is backed by Congo's small but powerful neighbour, Rwanda.This was obviously propaganda, our correspondent says, but it scared many Congolese people because they, on the whole, believe that Gen Nkunda is backed by Congo's small but powerful neighbour, Rwanda.
Rwanda, for its part, says Congo backs an anti-Rwandan government militia force based in the Congolese forest, our correspondent adds.Rwanda, for its part, says Congo backs an anti-Rwandan government militia force based in the Congolese forest, our correspondent adds.
Hungry civiliansHungry civilians
The UN says the conflict that began in August between Gen Nkunda's fighters and government forces has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.The UN says the conflict that began in August between Gen Nkunda's fighters and government forces has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
On Friday, for the first time after weeks of fighting, UN aid workers delivered maize and lentils to some of the 50,000 or more hungry civilians in Rutshuru territory, about 70km (40 miles) north of Goma. On Friday, for the first time after weeks of fighting, UN aid workers delivered maize and lentils to some of the 50,000 or more hungry civilians in Rutshuru territory, north of Goma.
On the same day, Rwanda and DR Congo announced that they had agreed to work together to deal with forces along their common border blamed for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.On the same day, Rwanda and DR Congo announced that they had agreed to work together to deal with forces along their common border blamed for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The Hutu fighters - known as the Interahamwe - have lived in eastern DR Congo since 1994 and have been a key factor in destabilising the region.The Hutu fighters - known as the Interahamwe - have lived in eastern DR Congo since 1994 and have been a key factor in destabilising the region.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces using its territory, but has not done so.The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces using its territory, but has not done so.
Its forces have been accused of instead working with the FDLR to exploit the region's rich mines.Its forces have been accused of instead working with the FDLR to exploit the region's rich mines.
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