DRC

Allow me, at the outset, to add my voice to those of the distinguished speakers before me, to offer you, Sir, on behalf of the people of the Congo and myself, our warmest congratulations on your election as President of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. The Republic of Korea, your country, maintains excellent relations with mine. May I also use this opportunity to offer our most heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan, a distinguished son of Africa, on his re-election to the post of Secretary-General and on the Nobel Prize, which has been awarded to him in recognition of his commitment to the cause of promoting peace in the world. The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its Government and I condemn unreservedly the blind acts of terrorism that plunged the United States and all of humanity into grief on 11 September 2001. These were acts of gratuitous violence, which deserve only the contempt of the whole international community and of all nations that hold peace and justice dear. By applying and implementing Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), my Government is committed to fully cooperate in advancing all initiatives aimed at eliminating terrorism in all its forms. The Congolese people, which is itself the innocent victim of a war of aggression by Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi — another kind of terrorism characterized by acts of barbarism that directly or indirectly brought about the death of millions of Congolese — had no trouble grasping the heinous nature the sad events that took place in the United States of America on 11 September 2001. It would be tiresome to go back over the origin and consequences of the war of aggression that started on 2 August 1998, in flagrant violation of the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Thus, following the logic of peace and well aware that only non-violent settlements bring lasting peace, I can but welcome the many peace 12 initiatives that have sought to bring about negotiated solutions to the conflicts. I have particularly in mind President Chiluba of Zambia, the appointed mediator of the Lusaka peace process for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I would also like to mention the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and in particular Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, which, in accordance with the SADC charter, rallied around my country when it was attacked. I would also like to address my thanks and gratitude to the United Nations and the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), whose arduous work on the ground has been very praiseworthy, and to the OAU, the European Union and certain other traditional partners of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The situation on the ground has improved in spite of the bad faith displayed by some of the parties to the Lusaka Agreement. The disengagement of forces is in its final stages, and the effective end to hostilities which it has brought has been observed to the satisfaction of all. However, the return of armed tension has been seen in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the part of the country that is occupied by Rwanda. These hostilities have been wrongly described as fighting that has moved to the rear of the Rwandan forces. In fact, what we see is the logical consequence of the failure of a new plan by the Rwandan aggressors, who hoped to sweep away all Congolese resistance, the better to occupy the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to be able to continue to pillage our wealth unchallenged. As far as the disarmament of the armed groups is concerned, we should note that a disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) programme, drafted by MONUC and the Joint Military Commission (JMC), was adopted by the Political Committee set up under the Lusaka Agreement. It provides, first of all, for the voluntary disarmament of all the armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this respect, the Congolese Government, reaffirming its good faith and its commitment to this plan, has regrouped and confined 3,000 Rwandan combatants in Kamina in Katanga province, and a MONUC mission has been there for several days now in order to identify these particular individuals. As far as the withdrawal of foreign forces is concerned, the definitive and total departure of all Namibian forces has been noted. This movement of foreign forces back to their countries is continuing; now the Zimbabwean, Angolan and Ugandan military are beginning their withdrawal. Paradoxically, however, and despite the continuing demands by the international community through all of the relevant Security Council resolutions, Rwanda is actually reinforcing its military presence in the Congo. The process of reconciliation, so long awaited through national dialogue, made significant advances during the preparatory meetings from 20-24 August 2001 in Gaborone, thanks to the Republican pact initiated by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate solemnly from this rostrum the full commitment of my Government to participate fully in the sessions on this dialogue to be held in the Republic of South Africa. I invite the facilitator to do everything possible to deal with pending issues in order to make sure that the forum regains its inclusive character, as provided for by the Lusaka Agreement and the relevant Security Council resolutions. For the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is important that representatives of all sectors of our population should be able to participate in this dialogue so as to lay the foundations of a democratic State. I would invite the international community, at the appropriate time, to assist my country in organizing free, democratic and transparent elections, which would allow the Congolese people to choose their own leaders, leaders who will have the legitimacy that a popular election provides and which, in turn, guarantees political stability. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to invite the United Nations to institute exemplary sanctions against all those States, their accessories and accomplices that are pillaging the wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I could not conclude my statement without thanking the Security Council members for having unanimously adopted resolution 1376 (2001) on 9 November, which condemns the establishment of a joint force set up by the Congolese rebels, instigated by Rwanda in violation of the Lusaka Agreement, in 13 violation of the DDRRR plan and of all relevant Security Council resolutions. This resolution is particularly welcome for its providing for the deployment of MONUC’s phase III. It also provides for the demilitarization of the city of Kisangani, the neutrality of Kindu and the reconstruction of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In my statement, I have condemned the infamous acts perpetrated against the people of the United States and of the world as a whole. I have also spoken of the catastrophic situation in my country, which has been victim of a war of aggression for the past three years. I have also noted the significant advances achieved in the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which unfortunately risks being compromised through the bad faith of Rwanda and its Congolese rebel accomplices. I have stressed how essential the support of the international community is if we are to achieve this process successfully and to launch the reconstruction of my country. The Congolese people, who have suffered so much, are asking only one thing of the United Nations and the international community: that justice be done for the weak and the strong, for rich and poor alike.