The United Nations (UN) has been challenged over its recent proposal that it would use aerial Vehicles in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a suggestion that Rwanda's Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi said; it would be illogical.
While commenting through a public social media Twitter, The Prime Minister said "....UN in DRC does not need drones to do what it is supposed to do. Instead of spending on surveillance drones, it is more logical to invest in supporting the region's peacemaking efforts"
Dr. Habumuremyi also stated that the use of such military technology will not help the peace process in the country nor in the region and added that more issues should be considered in solving the conflict in the Eastern Congo.
"DRC need good will from leadership, good governance, respect of human rights for all citizens, including Rwandaphones not the use of drones" he noted.
The Prime Minister's comments come only three days after the government of Rwanda opposed a proposal that the United Nations had tabled on Tuesday 8th January 2013 to deploy a unit of surveillance aerial vehicles also known as Drones in the Democratic Republic of Congo, arguing that "Africa must not become a laboratory for intelligence devices from overseas"
UN suggested that it intends to modernize its peacekeeping operations, and may deploy a fleet of its own drones both in Central and West Africa peacekeeping missions for the first time, only few days after Rwanda took its two year seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC).
According to UN officials in the Peacekeeping Department, at least three unarmed surveillance drones may be deployed in the eastern region of Congo, and such information has been communicated to DRC, Rwanda and Uganda governments.
Olivier Nduhungirehe, a Rwandan diplomat at the United Nations cautioned over such Hi-tech military use, saying the Drones could be used to collect intelligence information from "Kigali, Kampala, Bujumbura or the entire region." It is even feared that the unmanned drones might be armed, despite UN Officials assurance that there is no intention to arm the drones or to spy on countries that have not consented to their use.
Various governments from developing world in which Rwanda belongs fear that, the drones will open up a new intelligence-gathering front dominated by Western powers and potentially supersede African and Asian peacekeepers who now act as the United Nations' overseers on peace related missions.
The action is the first step in a broader bid to integrate unmanned aerial surveillance systems, which have become a standard feature of Western military operations, into the United Nations' far-flung peacekeeping domain.
In the 1990s, the United States and other major powers infiltrated the U.N. weapons inspection agency to surreptitiously collect intelligence on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's military; one of the reasons why Developing countries shun from any attempt of Drones hovering above their territories.
U.N. military planners say they see a need for drones in many other missions, including Darfur, Sudan and South Sudan, where the United Nations monitors tensions along the border of the two countries. But they acknowledged that they have little hope that Sudan would permit them.
The organization has ordered a feasibility study into their use in Ivory Coast along with the pending deployments in the Congo.
The said aerial vehicles equipped with infrared technology can detect troops hidden beneath forest canopy or operating at night, allowing them to track movements of armed militias, assist patrols heading into hostile territory and document atrocities. They are about 150 miles and are able to hover for up to 12 hours at a time.
Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs that are used by military in various ways including missile testing, air strikes, aerial refuelling, surveillance, transporting cargo, live-fire exercises and long-range bombing.
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The use of drones must be welcomed in DR Congo, and it should have come much earlier. All this agitation about drones is coming from those, Rwanda actual leadership, who have everything to hide like their permanent support with the M23 terrorist posse. Let the UN use the drones to monitor all the illegal activities which Rwanda is commiting in this part of the DR Congo. If Rwanda does not have anything to fear, they should welcome the deployment of drones which will bring light to the truth on the ground. But this, I doubt very much as everything will come to light, Kagame and Coe to the ICC with Kagame leading as always strongly. Time will tell.
Those drones are colonization tools for foreign Imperialist.
This is the moment of truth for those governments who are hostile to the people of the DRCongo. We welcome this new development in terms of US forein policy in the region. The international community promised, "never again" and this is exactly what they intend to do. Drones will help capture Joseph Kony and his lieutenants, Bosco Ntanganda and his associates and will monitor Rwandan troops and their fellow FDLR rebels along the border or inside the DR Congo. Like Serge said, nothing to fear if they have nothing to hide. The gathering of intelligence is going to benefit the Congolese people who need to know who is doing what against their country and eventually it will lead to criminals being dragged to the ICC and face justice. Rwanda, your days in meddling in Congo internal affairs are numbered. You have no right to oppose the deployment of drones in Congo air space. The DRC is not your colony. It is a sovereign state.
As Congolese, we are supporting 100% for these drone to be active in the East part of DRC. Rwandese go to hell with your childish games, it's up to Congolese for these drones to be part of Congo air spaces. Shut up Rwanda and go kill yourself in Rwanda........we all know M23=Rwanda, a suivre
It's about time to put an end to this brutality. Drones will give more details on this unhuman way of making money. The war in the east of Congo is a matter of greed and evil. Bravo, UN
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