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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 07 Nov 2008 Title: Escalating DRC conflict threatens ethnic violence -------------------- By Michael Appel Pretoria - A renewal of conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has the potential to spiral out of control into full blown ethnic violence, an analyst has warned. The relationship between the DRC and Rwanda, the cause of the conflict, originated after the genocide of 1994. It was then that 1.2 million refugees flowed over the Rwandan border into eastern DRC. Both Rwandan Hutu genocide perpetrators and Tutsi victims crossed the border into the DRC and were housed and protected in United Nations (UN) refugee camps. However, the Rwandan government now wants the Congolese government of President Joseph Kabila to expel Hutu refugees from the eastern region so that they can return to Rwanda to face trial for genocide crimes committed. Deputy Head of Governance for Africa's Resources Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Dr Kathryn Sturman, explained to BuaNews that skirmishes in the Kivu Provinces had the potential to spiral out of control. It is of interest to note that the African Union [AU] had put the DRC back on their agenda, said Dr Sturman, who herself returned from Kinshasa, DRC two weeks ago. She said despite the UN having a force of 17 000 peacekeepers stationed in the DRC to protect civilians, the badly equipped and trained Congolese Army had proved little match for the rebel forces of General Laurent Nkunda. The North and South Kivu provinces are still a hive of illegal mining activity as Rwandan refugees, as well as locals, mine for diamonds and coltan. Coltan is a vital component for mobile phones, laptops and pagers, and the price of coltan increased 10 fold in 2000 which led to a "Coltan rush". This is believed to fuel the tensions in the area as the illegally mined minerals are allegedly transported over the border into Rwanda. Dr Sturman said Rwanda's economy has been propped up by such mining activity leading to strained relations. "The 2003 Sun City Peace Agreement, which saw the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern DRC, ended fighting but did not address economic issues [such as that of illegal mining]." Dr Sturman explained to BuaNews that should the situation not be quickly resolved, there was a chance of ethnic violence flaring up again in eastern DRC. Reports coming out of the DRC, she said, indicated the alleged involvement of the Rwandan government in the supply of General Nkunda's rebels but highlighted that the Rwandan government has so far denied any involvement in the east of DRC. The eastern region of the DRC is a heterogeneous mix of Congolese government fighters, Congolese rebel forces, Mai Mai child milita, and even forces from Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) using eastern DRC to launch attacks into Uganda, she said. The situation in the DRC is among the topics for discussion by Africa leaders at the Extra-Ordinary Heads of State and Government Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit on Sunday in South Africa. The Heads of State are likely to examine what role Angola will play in the resolution of the conflict as the President of that country Jose Eduardo dos Santos and President Kabila have a good relationship and there is chance that Angolan troops could be sent into eastern DRC. "The deployment of Angolan troops could, however, further escalate the conflict," Dr Sturman explained. The British and French foreign ministers are also in the process of organising a meeting between President Kabila and Rwandan President Paul Kagame under the auspices of the African Union (AU) in Nairobi, Kenya at the end of next week, she said. - BuaNews |
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