Written by Peter Clottey | From Voice of America

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) information minister has expressed concern about a recent report which states that M23 rebel group has been recruiting children in the Ituri region of the country to launch another round of insurgency.

Lambert Mende also called on the international community to put pressure on both Rwanda and Uganda to stop supporting the rebel group.

“We are seriously concerned about this information that is coming from a very credible source that is the UN expert groups and the civil society,” said Mende. “We are really astonished to hear that after the signing of the Addis Ababa agreement some neighboring countries and members of the Great Lakes States like Rwanda and Uganda are continuing to help this negative force of M23 to resume their criminal activities against our country.”

Mende says it is unacceptable for neighboring countries to support armed groups against the government.

“That is something we can’t accept and we call upon all the international community, all African states to assemble and exert pressure on Rwanda and Uganda to stop this against our people,” said Mende.

Both Kigali and Kampala have sharply rejected accusations that they support the rebel group. Uganda mediated the peace negotiations between the government in Kinshasa and representatives of the M23 rebel group, which ended in the signing of an accord to end the conflict.

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