The eight negotiators sent by President Félix Tshisekedi to Ituri to broker a ceasefire with armed groups are still being held by the Codeco militia. They were taken prisoner on February 16. Among them, two former warlords, known to have been the first convicted in the history of the International Criminal Court (ICC): Thomas Lubanga and General Germain Katanga, convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the beginning of the 2000s.
With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
After having served their sentences, they attempted their reconversion as emissaries. And it was in the middle of a mission with the Codeco militia that they were captured in the territory of Djugu, the headquarters of the militia. Since then, the authorities have been trying to obtain their release, but the militiamen have imposed conditions.
In addition to an amnesty for its fighters and their integration into the regular army, the Codeco militia demanded the lifting of the state of siege established ten months ago in Ituri but also a halt to military operations in the same province.
Requests difficult to satisfy for Kinshasa which excludes for the moment a release of the hostages by force.
According to the Minister of National Defence, the negotiations are however progressing positively. He is even optimistic and affirms that these talks could soon have a happy outcome. Negotiations have been conducted for two weeks remotely. The authorities appointed another former warlord as mediator.
Since their capture, the hostages have been taken to Gutsi, one of the militia’s strongholds. This weekend, images of the captives were shared on social media as proof of life. Thomas Lubanga and two other hostages are said to be sick and without treatment, according to a government source.
For the Codeco militia, if the emissaries were retained, it is because the army, on the orders of the military governor, had carried out bombardments on a locality close to the place where the talks were held. Accusation rejected by the politico-military chief.