UN / DRC

Australian Ambassador Gary Quinlin said that the UN mandate in the Democratic Republic of Congo was “very strong, very robust on protection of civilians” and that it was to be achieved by “neutralizing” armed groups not just M23. “There’s very large numbers as you know and that includes FDLR and a number of countries and others need to address that threat.” UNTV/ MONUSCO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:30
• Production Date: 12 September 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION STABILIZATION MISSION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - MONUSCO
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; DISARMAMENT
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: U130912b

Description

STORY: UN / DRC
TRT: 2.30
SOURCE: UNTV / MONUSCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 12 SEPTEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY / FILE / 11 SEPTEMBER 2013, SAKE NEAR GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC)

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

12 SEPTEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

2. Zoom in, Ambassador Gary Quinlan walks up to the stakeout position

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

3. Close up, reporter’s notepad

12 SEPTEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gary Quinlan, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations:
“The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region, and called upon all signatories to fulfil their commitments in good faith, which is essential to achieving lasting peace and security in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.”

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

5. Close up, reporter’s notepad

12 SEPTEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gary Quinlan, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations:
“The mandate, which we reconfirmed in our discussions among ourselves this morning, is very strong, very robust on protection of civilians, and the protection of civilians is to be achieved by neutralising armed groups. I think that’s the exact words used in the resolution. Those armed groups are not just M23. There’s very large numbers as you know, and includes FDLR. And a number of countries and others in the room mentioned that in particular and the need also to address that threat.”

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

7. Close up, reporter’s notepad

12 SEPTEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

8. Zoom out, Ambassador Quinlan walks away from the stakeout position
9. Wide shot, dais
10. Med shot, reporters
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Hervé Ladsous, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations:
“The M23 group has been pushed back towards the north to such a place that it does not pose the direct threat it had posed for such a long time, either on the city of Goma or the surrounding IDP camp, or indeed on the positions of MONUSCO.”
12. Med shot, reporters
13. Zoom out, end of press conference

MONUSCO - 11 SEPTEMBER 2013, SAKE NEAR GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC)

14. Various shots, weapons/bombs
15. Various shots, stacking weapons for demolition
10. Wide shot, demolition
11. Wide shot, smoke

Storyline

The Security Council today (12 September) voiced concern over the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and called on all parties in the Great Lakes region to fulfil their commitment to achieve lasting peace.

In a statement, members of the Council reiterated their support for the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region, and called upon all signatories “to fulfil their commitments in good faith, which is essential to achieving lasting peace and security in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.”

After reading the statement, Ambassador Gary Quinlan of Australia told reporters that the UN Mission (MONUSCO) and its intervention brigade have a mandate that is “very strong, very robust on protection of civilians and the protection of civilians is to be achieved by neutralising armed groups.”

He pointed out that those armed groups “are not just M23” and includes the FDLR among others, and there is a “need also to address that threat.”

The M23 – composed of soldiers who mutinied from the DRC national army in April – along with other armed groups, has clashed repeatedly with the DRC national forces (FARDC).
In the past year, the fighting has displaced more than 100,000 people, exacerbating an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region which includes 2.6 million internally displaced persons and 6.4 million in need of food and emergency aid.

Earlier today, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous opened a press briefing at Headquarters with comments on the DRC where he said national forces (FARDC), with support from the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO and its intervention brigade, were able to push the M23 rebel group towards the north so it no longer presented a direct threat to the city of Goma, in the vast country’s eastern region, the surrounding camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) or on the mission’s positions.

Fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the M23 rebels has been going on for the past two weeks near Goma the capital of North Kivu province, in the DRC.

The fighting has stopped but the danger of abandoned weapons and ammunitions pose a risk to the inhabitants around the front-line who are trying to return to their villages.
UNMACC (United Nations Mines Action Coordination Centre) with the assistance of its partner MECHEM International and other local NGOs are collecting non exploded and abandoned weapons left behind by the fighters.

On 11 September the deadly weapons and small ammunitions were demolished in the area of Sake some 20 km west of Goma.