The armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has arrested several army officials on charges of treason in the country's southeastern city of Lubumbashi and the capital city of Kinshasa.
The army's Chief of Staff, General Christian Tshiwewe, announced the arrests before a military parade took place in Kinshasa on Monday. According to Tshiwewe, the arrested officers are accused of collaborating with rebel groups.
The move has been broadly welcomed by many residents in the DRC, though some pointed to some of the deep-lying problems facing the country.
"We congratulate the army for arresting those soldiers but there is a deeper problem in our country. Our leaders are oppressing us by keeping us in poverty. That is what is motivating some of our soldiers to work with rebels," said Andre Bomanza, a local resident of Kinshasa.
Another resident urged for much tougher punishments to be introduced to prevent acts of treason, even calling for a return to some of the hard-line measures of the past.
"Cases of treachery have become common in our army because the law is not tough. They should start shooting those traitors by firing squad like it used it be in the days of former President Mobutu," said local man Malejean-Pierre Mwamba.
Last month, the DRC government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty, which had been designed to deter soldiers from working with rebels.
Back in January, the DRC military announced it had launched an offensive mainly targeting the M23 March Movement (M23) rebels which occupy several areas in the territory of Masisi and Rutshuru, both located in the North Kivu province.
The M23 rebels are also at the heart of some of the diplomatic clashes between the DRC and neigboring Rwanda. DRC authorities accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, with Rwanda denying these allegations, a charge which is also refuted by the rebellion's spokesman.
Several DR Congo army officers arrested on charges of treason
