DRC

Peacekeepers "do nothing" to stop killings

Article published on the 2008-11-07 Latest update 2008-11-12 16:24 TU

A rebel soldier in the eastern DRC
(Photo: Reuters)

Rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) broke their unilateral ceasefire Thursday and advanced, taking control of two more major towns. The rebels, led by Laurent Nkunda, took Kiwanja and Nyanzale in the remote North Kivu region of the eastern DRC, where on-and-off fighting has been going on for years.

Elements of the DRC government accuse the Rwandan government of supporting the Tutsi rebels operating in eastern Congo. The rebels are fighting Hutus, many of whom are hiding in the jungle there after fleeing Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The Hutu militias have rumoured support from the DRC government.

At least 20 civilians have been killed in the new fighting by Nkunda’s rebels and pro-government militias, the Human Rights Watch NGO reports. The DRC government denounced the new round of violence Friday, saying that Nkunda’s forces were carrying out the killings, and that the UN peacekeeping force Monuc has been doing nothing to prevent them.

Almost exactly one year after a deal was struck in the same city, regional leaders and UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, will meet today in Nairobi to negotiate an end to hostilities.

Despite the fact that the two key players, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his DRC counterpart Joseph Kabila, will both be present, there is not much expectation of immediate results.

“The tactic on the part of the rebels has always been to fight while talking,” said analyst Mezong Kodi, “so, this time, I don’t think it will be any different.”

Rwanda “is just going through the motions” Kodi, who works for the London-based thinktank Chatham House, told RFI. “Given the depth of distrust there is between the DRC and Rwanda, it’s going to take more than one meeting to really bring the two parties to negotiate in good faith.”

 

Monuc has shown itself to be incapable of stopping the fighting, Kodi explained, and Nkunda will continue to be able to advance at will.

Refugees have been fleeing the fighting, crossing the border into neighbouring Uganda, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

At least 10,000 people have already crossed the border, putting stress on existing facilities in Uganda, Stefano Severe, the UNHCR representative there, told RFI.