A delegation from Congolese Catholic and Protestant churches travelled to meet with leaders of the AFC/M23 rebel movement in Goma, the capital of DR Congo’s North Kivu Province, on Wednesday, February 12, as part of their push for dialogue to end the conflict in the country’s east. ALSO READ: EAC, SADC leaders approve harmonised plan for FDLR neutralisation The rebels captured Goma, on January 27, and quickly moved to bring back order; restoring water and electricity as well as reopening schools and businesses. On February 10, the rebels warned that they could advance toward Bukavu, the capital of DR Congo’s South Kivu Province, saying continued attacks against civilians by the Congolese army and its allies may force them to intervene. The security situation in South Kivu has deteriorated amid reports of violence, looting, and abuses propagated by the Congolese army coalition that comprises Burundian troops and Wazalendo militia, among others. ALSO READ: M23 warns of military build-up by FARDC, Burundian forces in South Kivu The meeting held at Goma Serena Hotel, brought together representatives of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC), a union of Protestant churches, alongside AFC/M23 coordinator Corneille Nangaa and other senior rebel officials. ALSO READ : New governor of North Kivu extends opening hours at border with Rwanda The delegation entered the country through La Corniche One Stop Border Post, commonly known as Grande Barrière, in Rubavu District, according to reports. CENCO and ECC have consistently advocated for negotiations with AFC/M23 rebels, arguing that a peaceful resolution to the conflict requires the inclusion of all stakeholders. ALSO READ: Rwanda-DR Congo border crossings surge to 30,000 after M23 secures Goma On February 5, the two churches held a press conference in Kinshasa, where they reiterated their belief that dialogue should involve political leaders from the government, the opposition, civil society, and the rebels who resurged in late 2021 largely due to unaddressed grievances and especially the rights of Congolese Kinyarwanda-speaking community in eastern DR Congo. “Our role is not to declare one side good and the other evil,” said Pastor Éric Nsenga, the ECC’s secretary-general. “I don’t understand how we can talk about peace while rejecting any mechanism that could lead to it.” Nsenga stressed that excluding AFC/M23 from talks would be unrealistic. “It would be absurd to think peace can be achieved without including all stakeholders. Our position is to turn conflicts into opportunities for life.” The church leaders also met Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, on Tuesday, February 11, in Kinshasa. It is not clear if they could eventually sway him to accept the path of dialogue. After the meeting, Tshisekedi’s ruling party, UDPS, issued a press release condemning the initiative by the Catholic and Protestant bishops. The party’s declaration signed by its interim President, Augustin Kabuya, noted that – in what appears as a softening stance – that the AFC/M23 rebels can be integrated into the EAC-led Nairobi process like other Congolese armed groups but there could not be direct negotiations between Kinshasa and the rebellion which the former alleges is supported by Rwanda. The party also condemned the attitude of certain religious actors whom it accuses of allegedly adopting a hostile posture to Congolese government institutions.
