DR Congo national dialogue: Tshisekedi bars participants linked to Rwanda
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Beto
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said on 30 October that participants in the national dialogue must have no links to Rwanda and must denounce their past. He also said the committee tasked with organising the talks would be formed soon, during a meeting with the Congolese diaspora in Russia, Beto reports.
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi is reserving participation in the future national dialogue for people who have “nothing to do with Rwanda”. Addressing the Congolese diaspora in Russia on 30 October, he called on prospective participants to denounce their past and sever all ties with Kigali, according to Beto.
The head of state also called the AFC/M23, a politico-military movement active in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, “puppets”. He said the group wanted to make Kinyarwanda the fifth national language of the DRC, a claim the movement has not documented publicly. The Constitution currently recognises Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba as national languages, alongside French as the official language.
The composition of the committee tasked with preparing the dialogue has still not been announced, despite a promise on 24 October that its members would be appointed the following week. The order establishing the preliminary committee, under the president’s direct authority, dates back to 13 September. The announcement follows the promised announcement of the national dialogue team on 24 October, as well as the Congolese C64’s call for an inclusive dialogue on 28 October.
