SADC worried about DRC conflict

A REGIONAL defence body will urgently mobilise humanitarian assistance to people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who are affected by the recent military conflicts in the eastern areas of the country.

Following the recent upsurge of violence in the eastern parts of the DRC, an extraordinary meeting of three countries which form the Troika of the Organ on Defence and Security of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held a meeting in Luanda, Angola, over the weekend. “The Troika meeting of the Ministerial Committee (MCO) of the Defence Organ has, as a matter of urgency, resolved to mobilise and compliment humanitarian assistance to the people, in particular the internally displaced persons in eastern DRC,” the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, said in a statement released on Wednesday.More than 370 000 DRC citizens are displaced and had to flee to neighbouring countries over the past few weeks since rebel army factions refused to be integrated into the regular army of that country.”The Troika Committee condemns all forms of aggression against the DRC and violation of ceasefire agreements and appeals to all parties concerned to support the process of finding a permanent solution to the crisis.”The urgent meeting was attended by ministers responsible for foreign affairs, defence and home affairs from Angola, Swaziland and Tanzania, who on a rotational basis form the Troika of the 14-member SADC community.Angola took over the chair of the Troika two months ago.”The Troika meeting of the Ministerial Committee (MCO) of the Defence Organ has, as a matter of urgency, resolved to mobilise and compliment humanitarian assistance to the people, in particular the internally displaced persons in eastern DRC,” the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, said in a statement released on Wednesday.More than 370 000 DRC citizens are displaced and had to flee to neighbouring countries over the past few weeks since rebel army factions refused to be integrated into the regular army of that country.”The Troika Committee condemns all forms of aggression against the DRC and violation of ceasefire agreements and appeals to all parties concerned to support the process of finding a permanent solution to the crisis.”The urgent meeting was attended by ministers responsible for foreign affairs, defence and home affairs from Angola, Swaziland and Tanzania, who on a rotational basis form the Troika of the 14-member SADC community.Angola took over the chair of the Troika two months ago.