Lagos — The July 30 election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) whose peaceful conduct pleasantly surprised the world, has sadly resulted in a violent controversy. How the situation is managed before and during the October 29 run-off will determine whether the Central African country will make progress in its quest for democratization or relapse into monumental anarchy.

This is informed by DRC's chequered history. Endowed with some of the earth's most valuable mineral resources, the nation had been consistently plundered by its past leaders, notably the late Mobutu Sese Seko, making it a land of contradictions. Most of its 56 million people are poor, a condition worsened by volatile ethnic conflicts. Even before Sese Seko was forced out in 1997 by the late Laurent Kabila, Congo had become fractured. In 1998, it descended into war with itself, and, by 2003, the ensuing battles and humanitarian crises had claimed four million lives.

The inconclusive polls, if successfully decided, could provide the opportunity to begin the process of reversing the DRC's pitiable profile. In particular, the two candidates for the run-off-- President Joseph Kabila who got 44.81 percent and Jean-Pierre Bemba who clinched 20.03 percent of the votes during the first round - should be mindful of the expectations of their compatriots and the rest of the world, the huge resources committed to the exercise, and respond in kind. It was in recognition of the peculiarities of the vast country and the plight of its people that prompted the United Nations to send over 17,000 peacekeepers - the largest peace contingent on the globe- there. This gesture is complemented by the European Union's 1000-strong force. The polls have so far gulped $450 million. And the daunting logistical and security problems already encountered also make the democratic experiment one programme that must not be allowed to be truncated by the belligerent suppor ters of the two contenders.

To achieve a resolution, the stakeholders in the DRC's future, including President Kabila, have at least two past phenomena to draw inspiration from. One, the relative success of the actual voting. The unexpected calmness that characterized the July outing, despite flashpoints during the campaigns and doomsday predictions, elicited relief from the international community. Much of the credit goes to the DRC's political leadership for exhibiting maturity. That is a pointer to the country's capacity to put its act together. Secondly, the ability of the transitional government headed by Kabila to forge on, notwithstanding its being a team of strange bedfellows, is remarkable. Even Bemba, an ex- rebel leader, is the former Belgian colony's vice-president! That spirit of compromise and tolerance should be applied to these trying times.

If accepted, that approach would be a worthy legacy for the traumatized country. Since Kabila's eastern (Swahili) background and Bemba's western (Lingala) origin did not obstruct their steering of the tempestuous ship of state before the elections, they should not be permitted to do so now. What is needed at this point is for the Congolese political heavyweights to give peace a chance and prepare for the October decider. There is enough time for Kabila and Bemba to solicit the support of the 30 presidential candidates who will not be in contention next month. They should learn from Liberia, a place with similar war history which surmounted its own internal acrimony, not long ago, to constitute a representative government, via a run-off.

For the multilateral organizations and countries that have contributed to Congo's march towards democracy, it is time to increase their efforts. Any attempt to let down their guard now could prove disastrous. It is also important for them to maintain neutrality so as to avoid undermining their credibility. Congo is one troubled spot that should be helped, by all means, to redeem itself from self-destruction.