“MONUC is fully in agreement with the main conclusion of the press release that stipulates that “the disarmament of the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) militia must remain an imperative priority for the Congolese government and UN peacekeepers, but that they should act most urgently to improve the protection of civilians,” said Kevin Kennedy, MONUC’s Public Information director.

“This declaration forms part of the mandate that MONUC received the from the UN Security Council, and guides the actions of Blue Helmets in the execution of their mandate in the DRC, which is to protect civilians, to minimize to the full the impact of military operations on civilians, as well as to help the legitimate DRC government to weaken and neutralize the FDLR.”

Mr. Kennedy specified that “the NGOs that signed this press release questioned neither this goal nor these aspects of MONUC’s mandate.”

However, he reiterated that the military operations in themselves are not the full solution to the FDLR problem, and that a global, multi facetted approach is necessary to finally end this militia, including increasing the pressure on the heads of the movement that are living on the African continent, Europe or North America.

“It is a theme that the Security Council has stressed repeatedly, and which is the object of several Security Council resolutions, and which is part of the consultations that Special Representative Alan Doss will have in New York this week,” added Mr. Kennedy.

With regard to FDLR attacks targeted against civilians, including rape and looting that was highlighted by the Congo Advocacy Coalition, MONUC said that these were “unacceptable acts” under all circumstances.

And although MONUC admits that “military operations have been accompanied by the suffering of civilians, in the form of population displacement, reprisals by the FDLR, rapes and other serious crimes perpetrated by combatants of all kinds,” MONUC underlined that “new protection mechanisms have been put in place to tackle this problem.”

“About fifty MONUC mobile operating bases have been put in place in the most sensitive zones to protect the population… and one of the most important areas of MONUC’s support to the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) aims to support the command structure of the army as well as that of military justice, in order to guarantee an effective implementation of the governments ‘zero tolerance’ policy,” specified Mr. Kennedy.

In response to the allegation of MONUC’s silence concerning the abuses committed by some FARDC elements, Mr. Kennedy underlined that “MONUC brings this information to the attention of the military authorities, and recommends disciplinary measures such as the demotion of officers from positions of authority, as well as judicial measures.”

He added that beyond the logistical support provided by MONUC to the FARDC, the UN mission supports Congolese military justice in order to help it fight against impunity.

While recognizing the collective work undertaken by the NGO and civil society to improve the protection of civilians, MONUC greeted this action of advocacy of the NGOs as “an appeal to the international community” so that United Nations Blue Helmets can be endowed with the urgent resources necessary to achieve their mandate to protect civilians.”