Britain Calls for Immediate Ceasefire as M23 Captures Bukavu in DR Congo
The M23 and the Rwandan army continue their advance in South Kivu. After the capture of the localities of Nyabibwe, Ihusi, Kabamba and Katana, they took control of the Kavumu airport before capturing the town of Bukavu last Friday.
The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) continues to deteriorate following the Rwanda-backed M23’s capture of Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu. This new development has provoked reactions from the international community, especially the United Kingdom.
The UK government considers this a flagrant violation of the DR Congo’s sovereignty and a danger to the region’s stability.
“The entry of M23 and the Rwandan defence forces into Bukavu constitutes a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DR Congo as well as the violation of the UN charter,” a communique published by the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. “It is a serious escalation which increases the risk of a larger regional conflict.”
The UK authorities urged all the parties to immediately stop hostilities, withdraw foreign troops from Congolese territory and preach dialogue within the context of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes. The government is insisting that there could be no sustainable military solution to the conflict.
“Almost one million persons have already been displaced by this recent offensive and hundreds of thousands are henceforth in desperate need of vital assistance. It is appalling that the routes through which vital aid can be transported have been cut. All the parties must re-establish humanitarian access with all urgency,” the communique added.
Faced with this crisis, international actors, including the United Nations and humanitarian organisations, are also calling for an immediate mobilisation to avoid a big humanitarian catastrophe.
During the 37th special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in DR Congo, expressed disquiet faced with the alarming humanitarian situation in Goma, which has been occupied by the M23 rebels and called for the reopening of the Goma airport.
On the other side, a humanitarian organisation, the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) intensified its call for the reinforcement of civilian protection, the guarantee of humanitarian access and the prevention of an escalation in violence such as attacks, forced displacements and obstruction of humanitarian assistance.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has also raised an alarm about the aggravation of the security and humanitarian crisis in the country. Access to foodstuff represents a major challenge for several displaced families and returnees.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), says it does not have food reserves nor the means to buy them, adding that almost all the food provisions have been looted by armed groups, thus aggravating the precarious situation of returning populations.
On the war front, the M23 and the Rwandan army continued their advance in South Kivu. After the capture of the localities of Nyabibwe, Ihusi, Kabamba and Katana, they took control of the Kavumu airport before capturing the town of Bukavu on Friday afternoon.
For the past three weeks, the intensification of fighting and the capture of localities by the rebels have resulted in the heavy loss of human lives. More than 3,000 persons lost their lives in Goma during four days of the fighting. Scenes of looting, wounded persons and difficult living conditions have accentuated the disastrous humanitarian situation.
The security in eastern DR Congo is worsening with the M23's takeover of Bukavu, prompting international concern, particularly from the UK. The UK has condemned the violation of DR Congo’s sovereignty and is calling for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access, emphasizing no sustainable military solution exists. The humanitarian crisis is severe, with nearly a million displaced and vital aid routes disrupted. International efforts, including those from the UN, are focused on civilian protection and reestablishing aid access. Meanwhile, the fighting has led to significant loss of life and worsening living conditions.
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