The top United Nations envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stressed today that diplomacy - and not military action - is the only solution to the fighting that has engulfed the volatile far east of the country, as the UN humanitarian wing voiced concern over the impact of the latest violence on civilians.
Fighting resumed in North Kivu province on Saturday evening between Government forces (FARDC) and the militia known as the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), led by former general Laurent Nkunda.
MONUC is intervening to thwart the CNDP's attempt to attack the province's capital Goma and other population centres, according to Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative.
Acting under its mandate to support FARDC in defending civilians, the UN mission has opened fire and used helicopters on CNDP positions, he told reporters in New York via videolink from the DRC.
"What we've said all along is that this isn't a question of winning or losing," Mr. Doss emphasized, underlining that force is not the solution. "What we want is for the CNDP to enter a process and stay in the process and remain committed to agreements they have signed."
There have been incidents of protesters throwing stones against UN property as well an attempt to get into a MONUC base, he said. Shots were fired into the air and he expressed his deep regret that this resulted in one death.
"Every time that happens we explain to the population that you are in fact slowing our efforts and impeding our efforts," the official said, calling on the Government to assist in sensitizing the population to the blue helmet's mandate.
As many as 250,000 Congolese have been made homeless since August because of the violence, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that internally displaced persons (IDPs) in North Kivu number around 850,000, stressing that a constantly-evolving situation means that these figures are only estimates.
Fluctuating "difficult" circumstances on the ground also mean that MONUC must constantly take action to prevent further attacks on civilian areas and protect aid workers and UN staff, the Representative said.
The majority of the 17,000 MONUC forces in the vast country are stationed in the volatile east, but in North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda and Uganda, "we have about just a little less than 6,000" troops, he noted.
But boosting the number of blue helmets is not enough to resolve the problems in the region, the official said, calling for increased capacity on the ground, including special operations, and for greater peace support.
Responding to reports of criticism that the UN is not doing enough to protect civilians, Mr. Doss, who met with DRC President Joseph Kabila today, said that ensuring their safety is "the number one priority, but there are limits to what we can do with what we have."
Shelter, food, water and sanitation, health and protection are the key needs identified by OCHA, which, along with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), has launched rapid response measures to address immediate needs. Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is monitoring the situation regarding the need for food.
The UN refugee agency said it is struggling to prepare for the arrival in Goma of some 30,000 IDPs forced to flee recent heavy fighting.
To get ready for a possible influx of the IDPs, a team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) travelled yesterday to Kibati camp, north of Goma, which already shelters 15,000 others.
Tens of thousands are believed to be escaping southward from conflict, according to agency spokesperson Ron Redmond.
"Many more could be on the way from areas further north that have been affected by the fighting in recent days," he told reporters, with fighting reported near Rutshuru, 100 kilometres north of Goma, where another UNHCR office is situated.
In the capital, agency staff characterized the situation as tense after demonstrations on Sunday reportedly left five people dead.
Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his deep concern at the deteriorating security situation in the DRC's far east, where rebels have fired rockets at UN peacekeepers.
"The Secretary-General urges the Government and provincial authorities to make every effort to restore calm among the affected populations and to work in close cooperation with MONUC [the UN mission in the country]," according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson that also called for an immediate end to the fighting.
"He reaffirms that MONUC will take all necessary measures within its mandate to protect civilians and United Nations personnel and property."
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The UN is ignoring the legitimate concerns that CNDP has. The same concerns are being experienced in Goma right now as I write. The media is doing exactley what some were doing in 1990 as RPF was fighting to end injustice in Rwanda. The Government of Habyarimana at that time did was to use the media to demonise a section of the population. You all know what this led to. Remember the UN was there watching. The same tactics are being used in Eastern Congo. could the training that the Interahamwe acquired from the French be in use once again.
It is sad to notice that people are not learning from mistakes made in the past.The so called rebels backed by Rwanda will go no where, even if Goma has to fall today. They have occupied our land of North, South Kivu, Maniema and a part of the orientalprovince but they did not win the soul of the peole,injustice will never produce good result.It is easy to associate the DRC governement with the interamwe but the truth is known,from 1998 to 2003 they have occupied the territories they never made a report regarding the threat posed by the so called hutu people. We had a vice president from their rank, backed by Rwanda, who was in charge of the security of the country he has never condemned any wrong doing from the DRC state. Never mind, a weakness today does not mean that we'll remain the same. The same government of Rwanda was in exile not even 20 years ago today they are in power, things will change in our country soon or later but I can promise you that we won't kill people in order to take their land, we won't rape women and burry babies alive in order to take any body land. You can do what you want now but you are just showing the world that you did not learn from your woes. History is far from being over, remember that.
F
Injustice will never produce good result. It is easy to associate the DRC government with the people who supported former president Habyarimana but we know that it is a political tool used by the Rwanda government to strenghten its policies in DRC which is to kill, rape and take mineral ressources. It is sad to notice how people are not learning. Not even more than 20 years ago, the current Rwandan government was in exile due to the injustice imposed by their former government,but look today. They are encouraging injustice, they are promoting chaos, killing, rape, destruction. From 1998 t0 2003 the rwandan army has fully occupied more that a third of the DRC, what have they achieved? Can they show us any report regarding a good achievement, no? Did they erase the so called threat imposed by the so called hutu? By the way what was the threat posed?? It's all about lies over lies.One of their prominent member was the vice president in charge of the security of the country, in his official capacity he has never made any report highlighting the wrong doing of the DRC state. I acknowledge one fact today our country is still weak in many areas, it is a fact but I also know that a weakness can be overturned it will never be a permanent situation in my Country. Soon or later we'll wake up but I can promise you that we will not do the same thing as the Rwanda government is doing, we will NEVER KILL, RAPE, BURRY BABIES ALIVE IN ORDER TO TAKE FOREIGN LAND AND RESSOURCES, WE WILL NOT BUILD OUR WEALTH BY CREATING AND IMPOSING WARS IN THE REGION. I know something about politics, true politics should be founded on honesty, sustainable policies. Goma may fall today but it is not the end of the story. Rwanda is the big loser of this story, they are blind because of the gold, tin ore, diamond that they are getting for free, shame, shame, to see brothers, african brothers who think so low. Time will prove us wise, remember that INJUSTICE WILL NEVER PRODUCE ANYTHING TANGIBLE.
P.V
I believe that whatever people say about the ongoing war in the eastern part of the DRC is void because none is willing to tell me and the rest of my compatriotes the real problem that our government / leaders are facing. If Nkunda wants to fight the Interahamwe and so is the mission of the FARDC ( loyal army ), so why should not Nkunda join his troops to the loyal army and together they could easily boot those rwandan rebels out of the DRC? My conviction as young congolese with a certain knowledge of what my country is facing is the following: World superpowers are the cause of any sad happenings in my DRC. They have imposed certain conditions on our leaders and these have not found satisfaction, so Nkunda is used as the police element of those superpowers whose brigadier is Paul KAGAME.