Negotiations between the DemocraticRepublic of Congo and Rwanda over the extradition of renegade army GeneralLaurent Nkunda are expected to end today in Rwanda's capital, Kigali. Thiscomes after residents of North Kivu province disrupted by the activities ofrebels loyal to Nkunda demanded to see the rebel leader on trial in Congo.Meanwhile, human rights groups and the international community are puttingpressure on President Joseph Kabila's government to hand over the former deputycommander of Nkunda's rebel movement to the International Criminal Court overalleged atrocities committed by the rebels. Ferdinand Luendo is a journalistresident in North Kivu. He tells reporter Peter Clottey that the priority ofthe ordinary Congolese is to see a return to peace.
"Itis a big concern of the whole Congolese population, so it is not only (formerrebel commander Bosco) Ntaganda and the others who committed murder and otheratrocities. But the priority in Congo is not taking these people to trial. Ourpriority is peace. I have just walked all over the camps of the IDP's(Internally Displaced Persons) and visited many areas. What seems to be thepriority of the population first is that people in Congo need peace," Luendonoted.
Hesaid there seems to be a misunderstanding between what the people are lookingfor and the needs of the international community.
"Ithappened that most people do not understand the government's position in favorof Ntaganda not being put on trial. The president has said that at the momentwhat his government's main priority is to bring back peace to the country. Andthat taking people to trial is not its priority like that of the internationalcommunity, which is demanding the rebel commander be handed to theInternational Criminal Court for prosecution," he said.
Luendosaid there is need for people who are not Congolese to understand the positionof most people who have been adversely affected by the activities of the rebelsand the need for peace now.
"Itis true for someone who has committed atrocities to be asked to answer for hisor her crimes or be told to explain their actions. But that is not our mainpriority. It could be the point of view of the international community and notours," Luendo pointed out.
Hesaid although many Congolese want justice for crimes against them, they wantpeace to be established before embarking on the need to prosecute those whoperpetrated the crimes.
"Youknow Congolese have suffered a lot and they are trying to prioritize. And theirfirst priority is peace and that if peace is recovered then the internationalcommunity can see to the prosecution of those who committed those crimes. Butfor the time being all the people are looking for now is for peace to return,"he said.
Luendosaid most Congolese express the need to extradite former renegade army generalLaurent Nkunda to be put on trial in the future.
"Everybodywould like to see the trial taking place. So that is the dream of everyCongolese, to see Nkunda taken from Rwanda and brought to Congo. He is aCongolese who committed crimes against his fellow Congolese, and most peopleare hoping he would be brought back to face trial," Luendo noted.
Meanwhile,Bosco Ntaganda's rebel National Congress for theDefense of the People (CNDP)faction recently signed an agreement with Kinshasa ending rebel clashes withthe national army.
Ntaganda's rebel faction urged Kinshasa to grant them immunityfor acts carried out during the recent war in restive North Kivu province. Therebels want guarantees that they would not be prosecuted after their leader,Ntaganda, declared the war with the national army over on January 16. But thegovernment has yet to respond to the rebel demand after coming under intenseinternational pressure to hand over the former rebel commander to theInternational Criminal Court for prosecution.
Ntaganda claimed he hadreplaced former rebel leader Laurent Nkunda, saying he had lost his authorityover the rebel group. But Nkunda who was recently arrested after crossing theborder into Rwanda denies being toppled by Ntanganda.
Nkunda, however, faces apossible extradition to Congo after Kinshasa issued an arrest warrant againsthim for war crimes in the eastern province of South Kivu, which CNDP forcescaptured in June 2004.