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Peace in the Congo? It’s hard to believe but the Democratic Republic of Congo may finally be seeing an end to the horrific violence which has wracked the country for more than two decades. Colonel Sultani Makenga, commander of the M23 rebel group which had seized the DRC’s capital city of Goma only a year ago, surrendered along with 1700 M23 fighters in Uganda this morning. Makenga and his troops are currently being held in a secret location until a peace deal is signed this weekend between the DRC and M23.

M23 rebels lost their key stronghold this week following an offensive by the Congolese Army which was backed by a United Nations peacekeeping force. While Rwanda and Uganda have denied helping the M23 rebels with financial or troop support, UN experts had long claimed that Rwanda’s Tutsi leader was propping up the fighters. The end of aid money to Rwanda by the US, European Union and Britain may have also helped to bring about an end to the conflict. Major changes to the Congolese Army as well as Uganda’s peace talks between the rebels and the DRC Government were also factors.

While the M23 may be removed from the situation after a two year occupation, there are other smaller rebel groups which remain. Decades of violence in the DRC have often centered around the country’s massive mineral deposits which include gold, diamonds and tin.

GUEST: Claude Gatebuke, executive director of the African Great Lakes Action Network.

Visit www.aglan.org for more information.