At Rome press conference, Rwandan rebels pledge steps toward peace

Published: 2005-03-31

ROME (CNS) -- Leaders of a Rwandan rebel movement based in Congo promised to stop attacks on their homeland and promised to root out the "ethnic hatred" that has covered Africa's Great Lakes region in blood. During a March 31 press conference at the Rome headquarters of the Community of Sant'Egidio, the president of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda, known by the French acronym FDLR, announced his group's commitment to ending the violence. "The FDLR is committed to ending the armed struggle" and to "transform their battle into political combat," said the group's president, Ignace Murwanashyaka. He also said that when conditions were right and the security of his troops could be guaranteed "the FDLR will accept voluntary disarmament and the peaceful return of its forces to Rwanda."

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