Kinshasa (Fides Service) - "We are happy about the peace agreement signed in Pretoria" a missionary source contacted by Fides Service in Congo. "The fact that rebel groups sat at the negotiation table and signed a peace agreement is in itself important. The history of this country is marked unfortunately by many broken promises. We are not sure whether the Pretoria agreement is the result of international pressure or rather of a sincere desire for peace on the part of the warring parities. The structure of the agreement with the distribution of key ministries (Home, defence and foreign) between president Kabila and the leaders of the two main rebel groups would appear to be a settlement of power over the people, rather than a serious attempt to bring peace to the country at last. The crimes committed in all these years of war: two million killed, mutilation and violence of all sorts… are still unpunished, no one will ever be brought to justice for them. And unless there is justice and respect for human rights, hatred and ill feelings will continue to foment, threatening more conflict. Despite these doubts, as Christians we must hope and pray for peace. One positive fact is the participation of the civil society in talks of national reconciliation: the civil society is an active reality particularly in the east of the country. It was the people themselves who prevented the area from being annexed by Rwanda. I am convinced that that the international community and the Church too, must help civil society in Congo to grow and mature, because it is from there that our new leaders will come and they must be committed to working for the common good. (Fides Service 18/12/2002)