Ph/ Justin Kabumba”/>
The Secular Coordination Committee (CLC) opposed, on Friday, April 21, a possible extension of the mandate of the EAC forces deployed in North Kivu.
This associative structure of Catholic Christians expressed this opposition in a correspondence addressed to the governor of this province.
In this letter, the CLC recalls that the mandate of the EAC regional force expired on March 31.
He therefore wonders, on what legal basis that allows the EAC to remain on Congolese soil beyond the legal deadline.
CLC urban coordinator in Goma, Jackson Kitambala said the mandate of the regional force can only be extended if it is offensive:
“No extension should be accepted if this mandate is not offensive and clear. Because vague mandates always manage to put us in a confusing situation. The deployment of the FARDC in areas abandoned by the M23 must be clearly stated in the mandate”.
He recalled that no political negotiations, specific or special, with the M23 will be tolerated.
Jackson Kitambala also proposed the organization of a mixed survey, government-EAC-United Nations and living forces of civil society, to attest to the withdrawal of the M23 from formerly occupied areas.
Radio Okapi tried in vain to get the reaction of the Congolese government spokesman about the mandate of the regional forces.