afrol News, 23 January - After weeks of talks, a historic peace deal has been signed by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several rebel groups in the eastern town of Goma on Wednesday, guaranteeing an immediate ceasefire and the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the area.

The Congolese President, Joseph Kabila, has attended the symbolic ceremony.
The Mai Mai group and the Tutsi rebel General, Laurent Nkunda, at last decided to sign the peace accord after long and tense negotiations. The deal grants amnesty to rebels and militias bow down. This includes Laurent Nkunda who was represented by his negotiators at the talks.

The peace deal, backed by the United States, the European Union and the African Union, had been under way for two weeks.

The European Union has offered US $150 million for the reconstruction of the war-ravaged region where close to half a million people in Goma fled their homes last year.

Through his negotiators, General Nkunda has agreed to integrate his Tutsi forces into the Congolese army provided the Hutu militia has been disarmed.

The Congolese government had earlier issued an international arrest warrent against Nkunda, accusing him of committing war crimes.

According to International Rescue Committee, 45,000 people die of conflict-related incidents in Congo every month and that 5.4 million were dead in the past decade, the highest since the World War II.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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