The M23 Movement has appealed to the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) to recalibrate its deployment mechanism to allow a faster takeover of the areas they vacate. The appeal is aimed at protecting civilians from a coalition of the Congolese military, FARDC, and allied terrorist or genocidal groups like FDLR, Mai Mai Nyatura, APCLS, CODECO, PARECO, Mai-Mai, and mercenaries.
The communique was triggered by incidents that happened in places where the M23, to respect the timelines recommended by the regional peace mechanisms, withdrew, but due to EACRF deployment constraints delays, the FARDC and its coalition, including FDLR, hastened to occupy the areas and orchestrated targeted killings of innocent civilians.
Areas cited include Kishishe, Kibirizi, Bambu, Ishasha, Kisharu, Busanza, Ngwenda, Mabenga, Tongo, and Nyamilima. Targeted killings and harassment of civilians are spreading to areas like Mushaki, Kilorilwe, Mweso, Bambu, Busumba, and Rugogwe. Massacres by the coalition have particularly concentrated in areas like Rugogwe, Busumba, and Katuna, where the FARDC, FDLR, and the rest of the armed groups in the coalition have killed Munyurangabo Mukunzi and Umuhoza Josephine in Rusekera, to name but a few. Apart from the killings, the FARDC and its coalition have been spreading hate speech, looting, and destroying properties during their occupation of vacated areas.
The M23 appeals to the EACRF to ensure that the areas vacated by them are quickly occupied and that the troops can resist any attempt by the coalition to sneak in and kill civilians.
To the international community and regional leaders, the M23 asks that the Kinshasa regime be compelled to respect their part of the obligations stipulated by the Luanda and Nairobi peace mechanisms.