The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
17 November 2008
ZAMBIA will not send its troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because the defence forces are currently over-stretched with matters of internal security, Defence Minister, George Mpombo, has said.
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True,Tim. The attitude of Congo-Brazza people towards DRC people has changed tremendously after the civil war in Brazzaville. As usually, we showed hospitality by welcoming all in need of refuge. DRC will rise again despite current difficult times and we'll be very careful as to who we deal with in the future.
That's good. But I wonder, and God forbides, when the day all will be well in DRC and it burns in Zambia. It will be interesting to see how the good neigbours of old would behave.
I remember Congo-Brazzaville keeping a similar attitude towards DRC. But then unespectedly, in burned right in the heart of their capital city. They all run into DRC and were very werlcome both by government and the people on the street. They must have learned a great lesson: you dont see your neigbour dying and say I'm over-streched. At least say something encouraging