General Bikram Singh has completed his mandate as MONUC Eastern Division commander, having overseen the Nairobi Communiqué of November 2007 and the Goma peace agreements of January 2008.

In an interview with MONUC's website, General Singh explained the challenges he faced, outlined MONUC's military strategy in support of the peace process in eastern DRC, and gave an evaluation of the peace process to date.

What were the biggest challenges during your mandate?

There were a large number of challenges, but the biggest challenge was looking after a vast area with not very substantial resources. I had 14,500 troops but with the vastness of the area, the troop density was one soldier to 145 square kilometres. This was a big challenge along with the lack of intelligence to create the optimum military conditions.

What were your biggest successes as MONUC Eastern Division commander?

In conflict management of this nature, success is gauged by an integrated approach, where the mission works along various prongs to ensure conflict resolution. As the Eastern Division commander, I was able to create those military conditions that are necessary to further the political initiatives.

What are the measures being taken to accompany the Nairobi communiqué and the Amani peace programme?

Firstly as far as the Nairobi communiqué is concerned, we have operations ongoing against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and in identified areas we are slowly building up our combat power, with the intention of forcing the FDLR to enter the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR) programme.

We have operations ongoing against the FDLR

Information operations are also being undertaken and we're assisting DDRRR initiatives in this regard.

We are also undertaking, in concert with the government, the economic strangulation of the FDLR to deny them access to illegal mining sites and the siphoning of mineral wealth into neighbouring countries.

With regard to the Amani programme, we have created military conditions which have enabled the consolidation of the peace process.

We have enhanced deployment in areas where the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) are located, and in areas between warring factions to keep them at bay and to ensure the cease fire on the ground, and this is being monitored very diligently by MONUC's Eastern division.

How do you evaluate the Goma peace process and the Amani programme so far? What kind of reduction have you seen in militia activity and human rights violations on the ground in the last six months?

The Goma peace process is moving forward, though slowly, but it's moving in a very deliberate fashion. I do feel that its going to consolidate and intensify and we're going to have conflict resolution very soon on the ground. A few months ago there were 301 ceasefire violations in one month.

The Goma peace process is moving forward

But they have calmed down and since June, there has been a marked improvement as far as the violence between the armed groups is concerned. That's a healthy sign, but there are still reports of a large number of human rights violations, which is a cause of concern. It's being looked into but MONUC military cannot be everywhere.

We have more police forces coming into eastern DRC, and I think in a more integrated fashion we'll be able to deploy in every area of the Eastern Division, so that we can ensure that human rights are respected.

What are the main military strategies for MONUC in North Kivu, Ituri and other areas? Where are the blue helmets concentrated?

The strategy is essentially for conflict resolution, in a multi pronged integrated strategy. In this context we are deployed along the population centres, and we are deployed in a manner to provide security to various arteries and roads.

It's basically to provide military conditions to ensure the consolidation of the peace initiatives. The Kivus are the two provinces that encompass the peace process, and therefore the majority of blue helmets are located in North Kivu, followed by South Kivu.

How successful are the MONUC/FARDC joint patrols?

These joint operations are continuing all over the Eastern division, from Ituri to Kisangani and the Kiuvs, and the performance of the FARDC is improving by the day, and they have a desire to do their job in the right perspective. Wherever these patrols are being undertaken they are able to fulfill their assigned missions.

The performance of the FARDC is improving by the day

What are the main challenges for your successor?

I think the main challenge for my successor will be to ensure the military conditions to further the political initiatives of the Nairobi communiqué and the Goma peace process. While the Goma peace process entails more defensive measures, operations against the FDLR would have more offensive minded operations as well.

That is going to be a major challenge as far as my successor is concerned.