M23 rebels set conditions for direct talks with DR Congo gov't

The M23 rebel group has announced that the release of over 700 people detained in connection with the conflict is a prerequisite for any further dialogue with the DR Congo government.

GOMA, DR Congo, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group announced on Friday that the release of over 700 people detained in connection with the conflict is a prerequisite for any further dialogue with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government.

Benjamin Mbonimpa, M23's representative in several rounds of talks with Kinshasa in Doha, made the remarks at a press conference in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, which has been under M23 control since late January.

On July 19, the DRC government and the M23 signed a declaration of principles in Doha, under the mediation of Qatar, which laid out a negotiation timeline for the goal of reaching a peace deal by Aug. 18.

"It was in Doha that the guidelines were established in the declaration of principles. Implementation of that declaration was to come before negotiations," Mbonimpa said. "If nothing happens within the set timeframe and if Kinshasa does not release our prisoners by July 27, we have no reason to return to Doha."

Mbonimpa also noted that the M23 does not plan to withdraw from the areas it currently controls.

According to him, the upcoming negotiations in Doha would not be resolved in a matter of days, and the timeline published in the declaration of principles in Doha was "largely symbolic."

On Monday, the DRC government said the peace process had entered its most "delicate" phase.

"There is no war that doesn't come to an end. Today, we are in the most delicate phase … which is leading us toward a soft landing -- toward peace," Patrick Muyaya, government spokesperson, told reporters.

According to the United Nations, more than 27.8 million people in the DRC are facing food insecurity, with over 7 million internally displaced, many of them multiple times. ■