The M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have warned that their forces will match on Goma if the Joseph Kabila government does not stop killing civilians.
The rebel forces on Wednesday appointed Bishop Jean Marie Runiga, who once worked as a spokesperson of the anti-corruption coalition in the Congo, has been heading an alliance of Pentecostal churches in for over 20 years.
The rebels made the warning shortly after appointing Runiga in Rutshuru, one of a string of towns they have captured from the government forces over the last one week. The rebels loyal to renegade officers, Bosco Ntaganda and Sultani Makenga, now control Bunagana a transit town at the border with Uganda.
The group also wants President Kabila to respect the March 23, 2009 Goma agreement, from which they derive their name, M23. In the agreement, the rebels then led by General Laurent Nkunda, were to be re-integrated into the national army among other conditions.
Early on Wednesday, the rebels accused the government of targeting ethnic Tutsi civilians. Runiga warned that if that persists, the rebels will be forced to take over Goma as a way of protecting civilians. Runiga is now playing the administrative role over the areas under the rebel control.
The rebels now say in addition to advancing on Goma, they will also start collecting taxes from the areas which are now under their control and that this will help them solve issues affecting them.
A rebel who spoke to URN reporter at Bunagana said that the information was passed through their radio calls ordering them to respect the new civilian coordinator who will work closely with the rebel commanders.
The rebel attacks last week forced over 600 Congolese soldiers to abandon their defense positions and flee to Uganda.
More than 200,000 people are reported to be displaced by the fighting. Close to 20,000 of these are in Uganda. This week government started relocating the refugees from Kisoro to Kamwenge district.
UN peacekeepers are now redeployed to Goma to protect the city in case of the rebel attack.
Roger Meece, the UN envoy in the DRC was quoted by the BBC as saying he was determined to protect population centres in the east from advancing M23 rebels.
