The renegade general battling government forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has told Al Jazeera he accepts partial responsibility for the upheaval.But in the exclusive interview, Laurent Nkunda also defended the actions of his National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), saying they were "looking for a solution" to the country's many problems."If you can compare Congo with other countries, there is no life, there is no economy, there is no salary, there is no administration, no justice - so how can we think we are destroying?" he asked. (Λόγια από κάποιον που δείχνει ότι διαθέτει πολιτική οξυδέρκεια και άρτιο πολιτικο λόγο)
Nkunda's defence of the fighting came as the UN Security Council voted to send about 3,000 additional peacekeepers to help calm the region.Thursday's move was passed unanimously as reports of clashes between Nkunda's Tutsi rebels and pro-government fighters threatened a ceasefire deal that has seen hundreds of rebels pull back from frontline positions.The rebel decision raised hopes for peace talks that could end the violence, but Joseph Kabila, the DR Congo president, has so far refused to meet Nkunda."We are asking for talks and maybe if Kabila can accept it will be the end of the war," Nkunda said. Kabila will, however, discuss the conflict with Jose Eduardo dos Santos, his Angolan counterpart, on Friday.The Angolan military, which backed the Kinshasa government in DR Congo's 1998-2003 war, but has repeatedly said it will not interfere in this conflict.
More UN troops
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as Monuc, is the UN's largest and the reinforcements will bring it to about 20,000 troops and police."It's important that there's a Monuc peacekeeping force with the capacity to oversee the implementation of a political framework" John Sawyer, UK ambassador to UNJohn Sawers, the UK's ambassador to the UN in New York, told Al Jazeera that the new UN force would be deployed as fast as possible."Certainly, we will want to help countries that are ready to deploy, we want to try to assist them as best we can in getting troops on the ground rapidly," he said."It's important that there's a Monuc peacekeeping force with the capacity to oversee the implementation of a political framework. How long it will be, we're not sure, but this is a matter of urgency."Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich, the Monuc spokesman, welcome the Security Council decision. "It will give us some capability to react much faster to any major crisis," he said. About 5,000 UN troops are currently in North Kivu province where fighting flared at the end of August.Nkunda has repeatedly accused the government of backing the Rwanda Hutu fighters, some of whom - according to Rwanda - took part in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in their country.
More UN troops
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as Monuc, is the UN's largest and the reinforcements will bring it to about 20,000 troops and police."It's important that there's a Monuc peacekeeping force with the capacity to oversee the implementation of a political framework" John Sawyer, UK ambassador to UNJohn Sawers, the UK's ambassador to the UN in New York, told Al Jazeera that the new UN force would be deployed as fast as possible."Certainly, we will want to help countries that are ready to deploy, we want to try to assist them as best we can in getting troops on the ground rapidly," he said."It's important that there's a Monuc peacekeeping force with the capacity to oversee the implementation of a political framework. How long it will be, we're not sure, but this is a matter of urgency."Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich, the Monuc spokesman, welcome the Security Council decision. "It will give us some capability to react much faster to any major crisis," he said. About 5,000 UN troops are currently in North Kivu province where fighting flared at the end of August.Nkunda has repeatedly accused the government of backing the Rwanda Hutu fighters, some of whom - according to Rwanda - took part in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in their country.
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