The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Program Officer in charge of democracy and good governance Silas Sinyigaya has warned of supporting rebel groups in DR Congo while buying illegal minerals.
Sinyigaya was attaining a meeting to elect members of independent audit committee of ICGLR secretariat.
“Whether one does it knowingly or unknowingly, in one way or another he ends up supporting those rebel groups in the jungles of DR Congo”
“People who buy minerals should follow regulation put in place in accordance to the Lusaka declarations by heads of states, by following those regulations one can avoid buying minerals from negative forces,” Sinyigaya has said.
Sinyigaya said that the 3rd part of the auditing system will enhance mineral certification and guarantee that mineral chains are conflict free.
“All of these is being done to prevent negative forces access to minerals, illegal exploitation of minerals helps the groups finance their activities which destabilize the region,” Sinyigaya explained.
He said that the rebel groups in DR Congo were benefiting from and striving to earn a living from these natural resources.
Several countries among the 11 members of the ICGLR are working closely to eliminate the rebel forces to achieve regional security.
The rebel groups hiding and carrying on several brutal attacks in DR Congo include Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) and Lord’s Resistance Army among others.
In an effort to fight cross boarder smuggling of minerals, Rwanda’s minister of lands and mines Stanislas Kamanzi on Thursday handed over 80 tones of minerals to DR Congo government.
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