By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter for Western and Central Africa

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo –  In attempts to end the conflict in the east of the country, the Democratic Republic of Congo government has announced a peace conference. The government has invited all parties to the table, including rebel leader, General Laurent Nkunda. The nine day conference is set to commence on December 27, 2007. The conference will take place in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

Vital Kamerhe, head of the National Assembly and a deputy from the Sud-Kivu region stated that the conference seeks to “bring an end to the war…and to create the basis for a durable peace.”

As a pre-condition for the talks, Gen Nkunda, has asked the Congolese government to disarm the Rwandan Hutu rebels that he claims are attacking ethnic Tutsis.

This week alone, the United Nations has predicted that over 60,000 people have fled the North Kivu region to escape the fighting. Hundreds of victims, hungry and suffering from disease, have fled toward Minova, a town in South Kivu. There are currently 800,000 civilians displaced by the ongoing war, according to the UN.

The Democratic Republic of Congo army has reported on Tuesday they had pushed back Laurent Nkunda’s rebels in North-Kivu after six hours of intense fighting. The current conflict has resulted in nineteen deaths.

For more information, please see:

AFP – “DR Congo troops push back insurgents; 19 dead”  –  18 December 2007

BBC – Dr Congo Invites Rebels to Talks  –  18 December 2007

AFP – Congolese authorities announce Kivu peace conference   – 18 December 2007