M23 yachakazwa

M23 yachakazwa

Na Habari Leo

KIKUNDI cha waasi cha M23 kinachopambana na jeshi la Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (DRC), kimeripotiwa kupigwa vibaya na kutikisa nguvu za kikundi hicho kutokana na baadhi ya wapiganaji wake kuripotiwa kupoteza maisha.

Mapigano baina ya M23 na Jeshi la Serikali ya DRC linalosaidiwa na Kikosi Maalumu cha Kulinda Amani cha Umoja wa Mataifa (MONUSCO), yameibuka upya ndani ya wiki hii.

Habari za kiintelijensia ambazo gazeti hili limezipata zinasema kuwa, kutokana na shambulio hilo, Serikali ya Rwanda imelazimika kuingilia kati kusaidia waasi hao kwa kupeleka bataliani mbili zenye jumla ya askari 1,700 huko DRC, ili waweze kukabiliana na nguvu ya majeshi ya DRC, Monusco na Brigedi ya Majeshi ya Kulinda Amani ya Umoja wa Mataifa yenye mamlaka ya kujibu mapigo (FIB).

Kwa mujibu wa vyanzo hivyo vya habari, Rwanda imepeleka bataliani hizo mbili zenye askari 850 kila moja saa 24 zilizopita na kwamba wamevuka mpaka kuingia DRC katika eneo la Kibumba, lakini wanashindwa kusonga mbele.

Habari zaidi zinasema sababu ya Rwanda kupeleka askari wake hao ni kusaidia M23 ambao walipigwa sana Agosti 23 na 27, mwaka huu katika eneo la vilima vya Kibati na haijulikani kama kweli waasi hao wako katika eneo hilo au wamekwishakimbia kutokana na kipigo walikichopata.

“M23 walitandikwa sana Agosti 23 na 27 katika eneo la vilima vya Kibati, na wala haijulikani kama wapo hai au vipi, ndio maana sasa hivi Rwanda imepeleka batalioni zao kuwapa nguvu, lakini wanashindwa kusonga mbele maana hawajielewi kwa sababu ya kipigo walichopata,” kilisema chanzo kimoja cha habari.

Kwa mujibu wa vyanzo hivyo vya habari, eneo la Kibati ndilo eneo kubwa la M23 ambalo wamekuwa wakitumia kuhifadhi silaha zao za kivita, lakini wakati wa mapambano majeshi ya DRC, MUNUSCO na FIB yalisambaratisha kabisa ngome hiyo ya waasi.

FIB inaundwa na askari wengi wa Afrika Kusini na Tanzania. Habari zaidi zinasema kwa sasa majeshi ya DRC, Monusco na FIB yanawasubiri kwa hamu askari hao wa Rwanda kuingia uwanja wa vita ili kukabiliana nao kama walivyokabiliana na waasi wa M23.

“Taarifa tulizonazo hivi sasa Rwanda inajiuliza iwapo isonge mbele kupambana au irudi nyuma, ikifikiria pia kipigo walichopata M23,” kilisema chanzo kimoja cha habari.

Inaelezwa kwamba, kutokana na kipigo walichopata M23 siku chache zilizopita kimepelekea Rwanda kujikuta ikikiri na kusema ukweli juzi kuwa inakisaidia kikundi hicho cha waasi.

Vyanzo hivyo vya habari viliendelea kusema kuwa, mwaka jana mwezi Mei, Baraza la Usalama la UN katika ufuatiliaji wake lilibaini majeshi ya Rwanda kushiriki vurugu zinazoendelea ndani ya DRC, hali iliyosababisha Nchi za Maziwa Makuu kuingilia kati ili kuleta suluhu bila kuishirikisha Rwanda ambayo ilionekana kuwa na maslahi ndani ya mgogoro huo.

Katika hatua nyingine, taarifa kutoka Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa zilisema, Waziri Bernard Membe alikutana na Mabalozi wa Mataifa matano ambayo ni wajumbe wa Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa ili kujadili masuala mbalimbali ya Kikanda na hasa mgogoro wa DRC.

Kwa mujibu wa taarifa hizo, Waziri Membe alipokutana na mabalozi hao alishukuru Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa kwa kutoa tamko la kulaani vikali tukio la kuuawa kwa mlinzi wa Amani wa Tanzania na kutuma salamu za pole kwa Serikali ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania na familia ya marehemu.

Waziri Membe pia aliomba baraza hilo kuitaka Rwanda kuacha kuingiza majeshi yake DRC kwa nia ya kusaidia waasi wa M23 na kuongeza kuwa linapokuja suala la FIB wito wao ni “akishambuliwa mmoja, wameshambuliwa wote.”

Mabalozi aliokutana nao Waziri Membe ni kutoka Urusi, Uingereza, Ufaransa, Marekani na China, nchi ambazo zinajulikana kama wajumbe wa kudumu wa Baraza hilo la Usalama.

Wakati huo huo, Waziri Membe alisema Rais Yoweri Museveni ameitisha kikao cha dharura cha Nchi za Maziwa Makuu, mjini Kampala ili kujadili mgogoro huo wa DRC kitakachofanyika Septemba 4 na Septemba 5, mwaka huu. Alisema Septemba 4 utakuwa mkutano wa Mawaziri na Septemba 5 utakuwa mkutano wa Marais wa nchi hizo.

Katika hatua nyingine, jeshi la Afrika Kusini limetamba kuwa lipo tayari kuongeza nguvu kwa wapiganaji wa Monusco kwa kuwa wanaamini wana jeshi imara lenye uwezo wa kuchakaza `wakorofi’.

Kauli hiyo imetolewa na Luteni Jenerali wa Jeshi la Afrika Kusini, Derrick Ngwebi alipozungumza na wapiganaji katika kambi ya Thaba Tshwane, jijini Pretoria. “Tuko imara na tayari kwa lolote huko DRC. Hatuna chembe ya shaka,” alisema na kuongeza kuwa, Umoja wa Mataifa umewaomba Afrika Kusini kuongeza zana za kivita huko Mashariki kwa DRC.

“Kikosi cha mizinga kinatoka Tanzania na kimeshatua DRC. Kwa upande wa helikopta za kivita Umoja wa Mataifa ulituomba tujiandae, nasi tumefanya hivyo na nawahakikishieni, kazi itafanyika,” alisema Ngwebi na kuongeza kuwa, imeshatanguliza askari na helikopta tatu za kivita wakati ikijipanga kupeleka helikopta zaidi na za kisasa za kivita.

Wiki iliyopita, Rais Jacob Zuma aliliambia Bunge la Afrika Kusini kuwa nchi yake imeshapeleka askari 1,345 huko Mashariki na DRC.

Kwa hisani ya:  www.habarileo.co.tz

M23 Rebels suffer heavy losses

M23 Rebels suffer heavy losses

Written by MASEMBE TAMBWE

M23 rebel forces in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have suffered heavy losses forcing Rwanda to send two battalions to rescue the rebels as the United Nations roundly condemn the latest bout of violence in the eastern part of that country.

Impeccable sources from Goma told the 'Daily News on Saturday' that Rwanda had sent over 1,500 soldiers in the past 24 hours and were stationed at Kibumba, some 25 km (14 miles) north of Goma waiting to advance.

"The sending of the troops is in response to the heavy fire that M23 came under on August 23 and August 27 this year in Kibati, but the Congolese military, the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) and Force International Brigade (DIB) forces are alert and ready," the sources said.

The source said that they have no doubt that the Rwandese forces that have come to help the M23 rebels are not sure what to do next and need prayers should they decide to proceed.

In a statement issued yesterday, UN – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the latest violence in the eastern DRC and called on all parties to engage in the political process that aims to address the causes of the conflict.

Wire services report that South Africa has warned rebels fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo not to try and retake the battleground city of Goma on Friday after a week of escalating violence.

"We're trying to send a message to the M23, this time around you're not going to see Goma," said Lieutenant General Derrick Mgwebi, South Africa National Defence Force Chief of Joint Operations.

Mr Ban Ki-moon said he was “deeply concerned about the escalating violence in the eastern DRC” and in particular by the indiscriminate shelling by the armed group M23 which caused deaths, injuries and damage among the civilian population in the eastern provinces as well as the immediate border area in Rwanda.

Reports from the wire services also announced that rebel fighters have begun a retreat near Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after clashing with the Congolese army and UN troops. The rebel move follows accusations that they fired into neighbouring Rwanda.

Fighters of the rebel group M23, which has clashed repeatedly with the Congolese military for more than a year, said on Friday they were withdrawing from the forefront of their most recent skirmishes. The group's leader said the retreat was in response to alleged shelling of a town across the border in neighbouring Rwanda on the previous day.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe told this paper yesterday he had met with ambassadors from the five permanent UN Security Council for discussions.

Mr Membe said that during the discussions, he thanked them for the condemnation of the slaying of the Tanzania peacekeeper and he articulated that he wanted them to convince Rwanda to refrain from supporting the rebels in the DRC.

He said that the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had convened a Great Lakes Region emergency meeting in Kampala on September 4th for ministers and September 5th for Heads of State respectively.

Over the past year, the M23, along with other armed groups, has clashed repeatedly with the national DRC forces (FARDC) in the eastern DRC. As part of an effort to address the underlying causes of violence in the region, the Government of DRC along with 10 other countries and four regional and international institutions adopted a framework to consolidate peace in the country.

Source:  www.dailynews.co.tz

Mhe. Membe azungumza na Mabalozi kutoka nchi tano Wanachama wa Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa kuhusu hali nchini DRC

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa, Mhe. Bernard K. Membe (Mb.) akizungumza na Mabalozi wanaowakilisha nchi zao hapa nchini ambao pia nchi zao ni Wanachama wa Kudumu wa Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa (Permanent 5) kuhusu  hali inayoendelea Mashariki mwa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (DRC). Mhe. Membe pia aliwapa taarifa za kuitishwa kwa Mkutano wa Dharura wa Wakuu wa Nchi na Serikali wa Nchi za Ukanda wa Maziwa Makuu (ICGLR) utakaofanyika mjini Kampala, Uganda tarehe 5 Septemba, 2013 kuhusu DRC. Nchi tano wanachama wa Baraza la Kudumu la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa ni China, Marekani, Ufaransa, Uingereza na Urusi. Mkutano na Mabalozi hao umefanyika Wizarani tarehe 30 Agosti, 2013.

Balozi wa China hapa nchini, Mhe. Lu Youqing (kushoto) akitafakari jambo wakati wa mazungumzo yao na Mhe. Membe (hayupo pichani). Wengine ni Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa katika Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje, Balozi Celestine Mushy (kulia) na Afisa kutoka Ubalozi wa China.

Balozi wa Uingereza hapa nchini, Mhe. Diana Melrose (wa tatu kushoto) akiwa na Wajumbe kutoka Urusi, Ufaransa na Marekani wakati wa Mkutano wao na Mhe. Membe (hayupo pichani) kuhusu hali nchini DRC.

Mhe. Membe akitoa shukrani kwa Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa kupitia Mabalozi hao kwa kulaani mauaji ya Mwanajeshi wa Tanzania yaliyotokea huko Mashariki mwa DRC tarehe 28 Agosti, 2013 kwa kushambuliwa na kundi la Waasi la M23  wakati Kikosi cha Kulinda Amani cha  Umoja wa Mataifa (MONUSCO)kwa kushirikiana na Majeshi ya Serikali ya DRC na Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) wakilinda amani. Anayesikiliza kwa makini ni Mhe. Alfonso Lenhardt, Balozi wa Marekani hapa nchini.