UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original in French
Today's Kinshasa press reports ongoing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with massive displacement of populations.
Today's Kinshasa press reports ongoing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with massive displacement of populations.
'War rages,' titles L'OBSERVATEUR, saying 'violent clashes' are taking place in the localities of Masisi, Walikalé and Rutshuru in Nord Kivu province. Citing military sources, the paper says the fighting opposes 'the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and Rwandan troops.' It says Mai Mai fighters are fighting alongside the FARDC in order to 'drive the Rwandan aggressors out of the national territory.' Several thousand Congolese civilians have fled their villages, fearing Rwandan soldiers, the paper reports. Pursuing a scorched earth policy, Rwandans are destroying everything they find in the villages, says the paper, which recalls that President Joseph Kabila has deployed over 10,000 Congolese troops to deal with this new aggression by Rwanda.
In a story titled 'Students enter the fray', L'AVENIR reports students have poured onto the streets of Kisangani, protesting the Rwandan aggression. According to the paper, the student protesters are asking for 'means to drive the enemy out.' It expects students in other towns to join the protest movement, because 'everybody feels concerned when guns start rattling everywhere, as this is sure to disrupt all activities, including courses.'
According to LE POTENTIEL, the only way for the DRC to ensure it is respected and to discourage any potential aggressor with hegemonic ambitions is primarily to put in place a restructured integrated national army that is republican in form and capable of deterrence. The paper urges Congolese leaders to take on the army issue as a matter of urgency. This is also the view of the international community, notes the paper, recalling that Aldo Ajello, European Union special envoy to the Great Lakes, has accused the Congolese authorities of 'posing several obstacles to the ongoing [transition] process.'
During a recent visit to Kinshasa, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, also expressed a similar concern, denouncing in particular the slow pace observed in the process of integrating the army, the paper recalls.
LA REFERENCE PLUS quotes Human Rights Watch (HRW) as saying that if targeting only Rwandan Hutu rebels, a military intervention by Rwanda may exacerbate the already high ethnic tensions in the region. 'Reports of a Rwandan military presence will create more anger against Congolese of Rwandan origin, in particular against Tutsis,' the paper quotes senior advisor to HRW's Africa Division, Alison Des Forges. According to Mme Des Forges, non-Tutsi Congolese communities may accuse their Tutsi fellow countrymen of 'supporting a Rwandan invasion of their country.' She also calls on the international community to consider cutting aid to Rwanda in order 'to compel this country to control its belligerent tendencies.'
The UN Security Council is expected to take a stand on Rwanda's invasion of the DRC, announces LE POTENTIEL, noting that the Security Council permanent members have not yet agreed on the terms of a condemnation of Kigali's new incursion in Congolese territory. And yet, 'Evidence gathered by MONUC leaves no doubt as to the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC,' writes the paper, regretting that 'some Security Council members are still unconvinced, arguing that there is no sufficient evidence to establish that Rwandan troops are in the DRC.' According to LE POTENTIEL, this is the first time the Security Council is showing hesitation about condemning acts of aggression against the DRC. 'The permanent members usually appear hesitant when it comes to matters concerning the DRC, thereby allowing the situation in the country to deteriorate further. And by the time resolutions are made, these often contain defects that preclude proper and effective action by the UN Mission in Congo,' the paper writes.
However, LE PHARE believes there will be no third war in the Kivus. The first war, known as 'The War of Liberation', saw Laurent-Désiré Kabila 'leading a strange international coalition' of forces that swept through towns 'abandoned by the ex-Zairian troops,' the paper recalls. The second war was purported 'to rectify a liberation that had turned into a nightmare for the Congolese people.' But, according to the paper, the third war will likely not take place for several reasons. One reason is that 'the context having radically changed since 1996, Rwanda no longer holds the cards that gave it an advantage in the past.' Rwanda has lost 'its former Congolese ally,' the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma), 'which was regarded as Rwanda's proxy.' Indeed, the RCD-Goma has 'for the first time, and in a clear manner,' condemned Rwanda's threats of an invasion. The second reason there will be no third war is that Rwanda has a number of agreements with the DRC, concluded with the blessing of the international community, for a peaceful settlement of differences between the two countries, the paper says. Finally, LE PHARE cites as a third reason the fact that Kigali faces unanimous condemnation by the international community.
In a story titled 'Students enter the fray', L'AVENIR reports students have poured onto the streets of Kisangani, protesting the Rwandan aggression. According to the paper, the student protesters are asking for 'means to drive the enemy out.' It expects students in other towns to join the protest movement, because 'everybody feels concerned when guns start rattling everywhere, as this is sure to disrupt all activities, including courses.'
According to LE POTENTIEL, the only way for the DRC to ensure it is respected and to discourage any potential aggressor with hegemonic ambitions is primarily to put in place a restructured integrated national army that is republican in form and capable of deterrence. The paper urges Congolese leaders to take on the army issue as a matter of urgency. This is also the view of the international community, notes the paper, recalling that Aldo Ajello, European Union special envoy to the Great Lakes, has accused the Congolese authorities of 'posing several obstacles to the ongoing [transition] process.'
During a recent visit to Kinshasa, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, also expressed a similar concern, denouncing in particular the slow pace observed in the process of integrating the army, the paper recalls.
LA REFERENCE PLUS quotes Human Rights Watch (HRW) as saying that if targeting only Rwandan Hutu rebels, a military intervention by Rwanda may exacerbate the already high ethnic tensions in the region. 'Reports of a Rwandan military presence will create more anger against Congolese of Rwandan origin, in particular against Tutsis,' the paper quotes senior advisor to HRW's Africa Division, Alison Des Forges. According to Mme Des Forges, non-Tutsi Congolese communities may accuse their Tutsi fellow countrymen of 'supporting a Rwandan invasion of their country.' She also calls on the international community to consider cutting aid to Rwanda in order 'to compel this country to control its belligerent tendencies.'
The UN Security Council is expected to take a stand on Rwanda's invasion of the DRC, announces LE POTENTIEL, noting that the Security Council permanent members have not yet agreed on the terms of a condemnation of Kigali's new incursion in Congolese territory. And yet, 'Evidence gathered by MONUC leaves no doubt as to the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC,' writes the paper, regretting that 'some Security Council members are still unconvinced, arguing that there is no sufficient evidence to establish that Rwandan troops are in the DRC.' According to LE POTENTIEL, this is the first time the Security Council is showing hesitation about condemning acts of aggression against the DRC. 'The permanent members usually appear hesitant when it comes to matters concerning the DRC, thereby allowing the situation in the country to deteriorate further. And by the time resolutions are made, these often contain defects that preclude proper and effective action by the UN Mission in Congo,' the paper writes.
However, LE PHARE believes there will be no third war in the Kivus. The first war, known as 'The War of Liberation', saw Laurent-Désiré Kabila 'leading a strange international coalition' of forces that swept through towns 'abandoned by the ex-Zairian troops,' the paper recalls. The second war was purported 'to rectify a liberation that had turned into a nightmare for the Congolese people.' But, according to the paper, the third war will likely not take place for several reasons. One reason is that 'the context having radically changed since 1996, Rwanda no longer holds the cards that gave it an advantage in the past.' Rwanda has lost 'its former Congolese ally,' the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma), 'which was regarded as Rwanda's proxy.' Indeed, the RCD-Goma has 'for the first time, and in a clear manner,' condemned Rwanda's threats of an invasion. The second reason there will be no third war is that Rwanda has a number of agreements with the DRC, concluded with the blessing of the international community, for a peaceful settlement of differences between the two countries, the paper says. Finally, LE PHARE cites as a third reason the fact that Kigali faces unanimous condemnation by the international community.
