00:00In eastern DRC, hopes for a lasting peace remain fragile.
00:04The M23 rebel group, which controls key territory, responded cautiously to the June 27th Peace
00:09Bill signed in Washington between Kinshasa and Kigali.
00:13The accord pledges to respect borders and end hostilities, but in Groma, M23 says it's
00:18not concerned, seeing it as just a bilateral agreement between states.
00:26These are matters of state-level agreements that include economic cooperation and other
00:30issues discussed bilaterally, but we have our own problems, which are different from those
00:39that were addressed.
00:40We don't even know what was agreed in that accord.
00:47Fighting rages on in north and south Kibu.
00:50Wazaledo militias backing the Congolese army continue to clash with M23 rebels.
00:55Peace talks that began in April in Doha are now stalled.
00:59M23 says it's committed to peace and blames Kinshasa for the breakdown.
01:03AFC-M23 is engaged in peace talks, retiring agreements with Kinshasa, and peace can be achieved
01:12if Kinshasa truly wants it.
01:14We believe in Doha, we believe in peace, and we've always sought dialogue.
01:18We never wanted war.
01:19It was imposed on us.
01:25In Groma, under rebel control since late January, residents are expressing a mix of hope, caution,
01:32and wariness.
01:33We heard the Congolese army has been in talks with M23 in Doha, but so far we haven't heard
01:42any outcomes.
01:43They've never reassured us if M23 will eventually leave or if we're destined to remain in this
01:48suffering.
01:49All we want is peace, but whenever they talk about seeking peace, it just leads to more
01:58fighting.
01:59As the people, our plea is that they come to an agreement so that we can finally be free
02:04from this suffering.
02:08The M23 says it's sending a new delegation to Doha in hopes of reviving the peace talks.
02:14Congolese authorities remain focused on the negotiations as a pathway to end the rebellion,
02:19but the M23 continues to accuse Kinshasa of undermining the process.
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