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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: National follow-up committee convenes

KINSHASA, 15 April 2003 (IRIN) - Congolese President Joseph Kabila convened on Monday the first meeting of the national follow-up committee which is charged with solving the remaining obstacles to the formation of a transitional power-sharing government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). But one of the principal rebel groups, the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-GOMA), stayed away because of safety concerns.

An RCD-Goma spokesman, Joseph Mudumbi, told IRIN that the group was still awaiting a response from Kabila to a letter asking for the security of its delegates to be assured. "We have to bring our security units to Kinshasa, with at least 15 body guards for each delegate," he said.

Joseph Olenghankoy, a member of the unarmed political opposition who took part in the meeting, said that the RCD-Goma rebels had used the security issue as a pretext to stay away from the session. The national follow-up committee was convened as a result of the 2 April peace accord signed by all parties to the conflict in the DRC in Sun City, South Africa. Kabila has already been inaugurated as interim president, and there are to be four vice-presidents representing the present government, the two largest rebel groups (including RCD-Goma) and the unarmed political opposition.

Security for rebel leaders in Kinshasa has been a sticking point, but Monday's meeting was attended by representatives of all other armed groups who signed the Sun City accord, including the rebel Movement pour la liberation du Congo (MLC), the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Kisangani-movement de liberation (RCD-K-ML) and the pro-government Mayi Mayi militia.

Those who attended described the atmosphere of the meeting as "very good".

"The meeting proceeded in a brotherly fashion so I believe things will get better," Kolosso Sumahili, the RCD-K-ML secretary-general, said.

News agencies reported that delegates gave no information about the nature of their discussions, and no date was announced for a second session.

Themes: (IRIN) Governance

[ENDS]

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