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Aid group 'optimistic' about DRC peace


Published: Jan. 23, 2008 at 1:49 PM
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GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The International Rescue Committee said it was "cautiously optimistic" about a peace conference between the Democratic Republic of Congo and armed groups.

The eastern city of Goma played host to more than two weeks of negotiations between the two groups. The talks center on a peace deal for the eastern Kivu provinces, CNN said Wednesday.

"I am cautiously optimistic about the possibilities for peace, and certainly, the significance of that peace would be huge," the IRC's regional director Alyoscia D'Onofrio said.

D'Onofrio said even a regional peace deal would curb the overall rate of violence as spill-over from the eastern region threatens neighboring states.

The IRC said in a report issued Wednesday the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in the region cost the lives of more than 5 million people in the past decade though the group found most deaths occurred from diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition and pneumonia.

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