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RAPAPORT... The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the M23 have signed an agreement to end a year-long conflict and both sides urged all other armed groups in the country to lay down their weapons and join the political process. “This constitutes a positive step towards ending cycles of deadly conflicts that have caused immense suffering to the Congolese people,” said United Nations' (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Negotiations between the M23 –- largely comprised of soldiers who mutinied from the DRC's national army in April 2012 -– and the government have been held on and off in Kampala, Uganda, under the auspices of the chairperson of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni. The accord was signed overnight, effectively ending the Kampala Dialogue, which aimed to reach a final and principled agreement that ensured the disarmament and demobilization of the M23 and accountability for human rights abuses. Former M23 rebels are entitled to amnesty for rebelling, but are not granted immunity to alleged perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide or gross violations of human rights, according to the deal. Both sides also agreed to release prisoners, consider establishing the M23 as a political party and return extorted and looted property. The declaration also includes provisions for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes. In the past year alone, the UN determined that fighting displaced more than 100,000 people, exacerbating an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region, which includes 2.6 million internally displaced persons and 6.4 million in need of food and emergency aid. Ki-Moon urged the parties to begin implementation without delay and to fully respect their commitments. Meanwhile, the joint accord also calls upon international partners, particularly the UN and the African Union (AU) “to work together and provide support and resources to the government of the DRC for the implementation of the commitments.” Other armed groups in the DRC include the Mayi Mayi, the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
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