The M23 rebel group has condemned the continuous closure of the main supply roads connecting Goma-Rutshuru and Goma-Masisi by the DR Congo Government, citing that the closures are designed to bottleneck the population of Goma. A statement released on Tuesday, December 6, noted that the DR Congo government closed the main supply road Goma-Rutshuru (RN2) to also deprive the rebel group of basic food supply. ALSO READ: DR Congo: Exiting EAC regional force says to hand over to SADC troops “The M23 has called many times for the DRC Government to open the Main Supply Road at its end, to allow the free movement of people and goods that exist in the areas controlled by the M23 and also to allow free humanitarian access,” reads part of the statement. “It shall be noted that the East Africa Community (EAC) through the EACRF Commander had also called for the opening of the said main supply road but the DRC Government refused.” The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) begun withdrawing from DR Congo just on December 3, just over a year since it was deployed to support peace efforts for the country’s conflict-ridden east. Its mandate was expected to expire on December 8. ALSO READ: EAC regional force begins withdrawal from DR Congo “The M23 condemns the continuous closure of the Main Supply Roads Goma-Rutshuru and Goma-Masisi by the DRC Government. These closures are designed to bottleneck the population of Goma.” Despite the withdraw, the regional force said the situation remains uncertain following the breach of ceasefire in October, which has escalated the hostilities. Eastern DR Congo is home to more than 130 local and foreign armed groups, and has been volatile for nearly three decades. According to the M23 statement, the withdraw by the regional force is “an irresponsible decision of the DRC Government that leaves the civilian population at the mercy of its demoniac coalition forces.” Since the withdraw, M23 said in a statement, the DR Congo military (FARDC) resumed war against the M23 to the detriment of the dialogue to resolve the root causes of the conflicts, as decided by the Heads of State during their 20th Summit held in Bujumbura on February 4. The DR Congo military, the statement added, maintained the collaboration between the FDLR and FARDC, despite a recent announcement by the former that they were stopping collaboration with the militia group. The FDLR, which “harbours a long-term sinister plan to destabilise Rwanda,” comprises remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. After the Genocide, they moved into the eastern part of DR Congo after killing more than one million people. According to the statement , all the attacks against M23 positions and civilian population are jointly planned and executed by the FDLR and FARDC, among other militia grops. “We are reliving the horrendous scenes that happened in Rwanda in 1994.” “The M23 reiterates its commitment to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Eastern DRC peacefully, and will not spare any effort to protect the civilian population and to defend itself professionally,” the statement added; “Non-assistance to a person in danger is condemnable.”
