13 December 2007
analysis
Washington, DC — "North Kivu has been the epicentre of Congo's violence since the conflict began more than fifteen years ago. Now is the time to address this major gap in the Congolese transition and end a crisis which is producing immense suffering and continues to carry wider risks for Congo and its neighbours." - International Crisis Group
This call from the International Crisis Group on October 31 was accompanied by recommendations for "a comprehensive initiative [that] needs to be launched urgently to de-escalate the crisis." Instead, new military action by the Congolese government appears to be escalating the crisis. An early November agreement between the Congolese and Rwandan governments pledging cooperation against groups in Kivu that have been continuing the conflict was welcomed, but its implementation was soon in doubt.
This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains excerpts from several current analyses of the current crisis, its roots, and prospects of solution, from the International Crisis Group, African Rights, and Refugees International. Another AfricaFocus Bulletin has several reports on the most recent developments.
For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and related links, visit
http://www.africafocus.org/country/congokin.php
Congo: Bringing Peace to North Kivu
International Crisis Group
Africa Report N 133
31 October 2007
Executive Summary
[For recommendations and full report visit
North Kivu is again a crucible of conflict in Congo. Since fighting resumed between the insurgents of Laurent Nkunda and the national army in December 2006, over 370,000 civilians have been displaced in the province. Due to the failure of the latest attempt to integrate Nkunda's troops into the army, the crisis has become much worse since May 2007. UN attempts to impose a ceasefire and appoint a special envoy to mediate have failed. President Joseph Kabila's 15 October decision to suspend offensive operations and his subsequent call on all Congolese armed groups in the region to present themselves for disarmament or army integration is welcome but fighting continues, and there is no real dialogue with Nkunda.
A comprehensive initiative needs to be launched urgently to de-escalate the crisis and address the root causes of the conflict.
This new crisis results from failures of the Congo peace process on army integration, economic governance and transitional justice.
During the second half of the political transition - which formally ended with the election of President Kabila and a new legislature in 2006 - a policy of containment, appeasement, and international emphasis on the holding of elections cooled tensions but left their causes unaffected. The province remained in effect split into two pieces, with Masisi and Rutshuru territories caught in a cold war between dissidents from the former Rwandan-backed rebel group, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), and the national army (FARDC).
Little progress was made on disarmament and reintegration of Mai Mai militias or repatriation of the Rwandan Hutu (FDLR) rebels. The illegal exploitation of natural resources continued unabated as all communities armed, animated by deep mutual resentments over land security, mass human rights abuses during the war and control of natural resources.
The 2006 national and provincial elections liquidated politically the RCD. Strengthened by his election, Kabila held discreet talks with Nkunda, facilitated by Rwanda, and concluded an agreement for the progressive integration of Nkunda's troops into the regular armed forces, a process locally known as mixage, with the understanding that they would not have to leave the province until the general security situation improved significantly. But neither Nkunda nor Kabila was able to contain their hardliners opposed to the settlement.
Afraid to become the victims of revenge killings and lose everything they had illegally acquired during the war, Goma-based Tutsi leaders accused Nkunda of betrayal and threatened to stop supporting him. Kabila's hardliners attacked him over the perceived preferential treatment given to the Tutsi in the army integration process and used the public outcry over the massive human rights violations and displacement of civilians caused by the operations against the FDLR to undermine the agreement's legitimacy. Mixage collapsed in May 2007, leading to new escalation.
So far, the crisis has not jumped the border to draw in Rwanda.
Both Kinshasa and Kigali have shown restraint and chosen to continue with regular consultations. However, on the ground, there is combat; the humanitarian situation is appalling; neither side has a good prospect of military success; and escalation continues to carry the risk of destabilisation of the wider region.
To compensate for the national army's weakness, Kabila has been trying to co-opt the UN mission (MONUC) into his operations, a move the UN should continue to resist lest it be caught in the crossfire between Nkunda and the FDLR. The international community should encourage Kabila to suspend his military offensive and launch a comprehensive peace initiative for North Kivu, aimed first at de-escalating the conflict and improving the general security environment in the province, then addressing the core issues related to restoration of state authority such as regulation of the exploitation of natural resources, return of refugees and a transitional justice process facilitating community reconciliation.
A prolonged deadlock would inevitably result in further displacement of civilians and increased risk of ethnic cleansing and revenge killing on both sides.
Over the past three years, ending the North Kivu conflict has been repeatedly postponed in favour of efforts to consolidate the transition and secure Kabila's election. But North Kivu has been the epicentre of Congo's violence since the conflict began more than fifteen years ago. Now is the time to address this major gap in the Congolese transition and end a crisis which is producing immense suffering and continues to carry wider risks for Congo and its neighbours.
A Welcome Expression of Intent - The Nairobi Communique and the Ex-FAR/Interahamwe
African Rights
Press Release
11 December 2007
[Excerpts. For the full press release see
http://allafrica.com/stories/200712110920.html
The full report is available as a PDF download at http://allafrica.com/peaceafrica/resources/00011449.html
For more information contact African Rights at rights@rwanda1.com, or by phone Rakiya Omaar or Theodore Nyiliknwaya at (+250) 503679.]
On 9 November 2007, representatives of the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda met in Nairobi, Kenya, and signed a communique pledging "a common approach to address the threat posed to our common security and stability by the ex-FAR/Interahamwe." The agreement was facilitated by the United Nations and witnessed by the United States and the European Union. This new accord represents a comprehensive and constructive point of departure that could pave the way for an end to the armed presence of the ex-FAR and interahamwe in eastern DRC, and to the needless suffering of those living in North and South Kivu provinces, who have been the most directly and seriously damaged by the recent violence in the region. A Welcome Expression of Intent reveals details of the organization and functioning of the ex-FAR and interahamwe both within eastern DRC and internationally. In publishing this report, African Rights hopes to support and encourage the crucial process of dismantling these forces.
The protracted lack of co-operation in finding lasting solutions to long-standing problems in eastern DRC, in which the two governments and the peoples of both countries have an enormous stake, has profoundly hurt the entire Great Lakes region in terms of human security, political stability and economic development.
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Tther is something troubling me western countries and all human rights watch and others group say fizi territory is for only it's tribes not for the rwandese of fdlr why mai-mai should allow foreigners people to settle in his territory ,mai-mai is capable to keep fizi safe,those people who gave that there is some fdlr in fizi are lying. canada has a bunch of crimnals tutsi who killed who tortured in rwanda and in burundi and inrdc they are in canda and no body talk about that ,the plan to eliminate bantou people push all the western countris… [Read Full Text]