The chairman of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC, opposition), Vital Kamerhe, on Monday urged the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) to negotiate with the March 23 movement rebels (M23).

In a press statement released in Kinshasa, a copy of which Xinhua obtained, Kamerhe said that negotiations will help to end the crisis that has destabilized the North-Kivu province since the month of April.

"The military solution has been seen to have its limits and there's no any other option other than sitting down on the negotiation table as UNC had indicated in its proposal to the country during a press conference that was held in October," the UNC leader said.

"I want to appeal to the political class and the civil society groups to come together and examine this situation which threatens the survival of our country," he added.

Kamerhe equally urged the belligerent forces that include the M23, the DR Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) and the UN Mission for Stabilization of Congo (MONUSCO) to protect the civilian population against all forms of violence and abuses, and that they restrain themselves from engaging in any act of violence and vandalism.

According to witnesses in Goma who spoke to Xinhua, the clashes between FARDC and M23 on Nov. 16 and 17, just about 10 km from Goma town, forced a section of the population to flee to South- Kivu province and Gisenyi town in Rwanda.

A section of North-Kivu province has been under the control of the M23 rebels since April. On Nov. 18, the rebels advanced up to 5 km from the town of Goma to demand that the Kinshasa government initiates direct talks with them.