Never Again International - Risk of Conflict in DR Congo


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Risk of Conflict in the D.R. Congo "The clashes have raised fears of a return to ethnic conflict in volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which bore the brunt of a 1998-2003 war in which some 4 million people perished mainly through hunger and disease." - Reuters August 31, 2007 "Many of the elements of what was once called Africa's world war [are] back with a vengeance." - Guardian editorial September 3, 2007 "We fear that the pursuit of a military solution to the problems in North Kivu would further worsen the province's humanitarian crisis through the potential displacement of hundreds of thousands of additional Congolese civilians. We hope that the current problems in North Kivu can still be resolved through negotiations." - UNHCR September 4, 2007 IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THE situation in Eastern Congo has seriously deteriorated. There are warnings now from observers that the entire region is on the brink of a new civil war. The UN Security Council, the EU Presidency and other major international actors have all expressed “grave concern”. But the emerging catastrophe has not attracted the level of consistent high-level political and media attention that it deserves. Although envoys have been dispatched to the region the story has only periodically flashed across the global media. The last period of civil war in DRC saw 4 million dead and there is little doubt that a serious eruption of further conflict would quickly escalate into humanitarian crisis. Some of the same ingredients from the last cycle of war are present including Rwandan insecurity over the continued failure to deal decisively with the presence of génocidaires on its borders and suspicion about the motives of the Congolese army, which Rwanda accuses of allying with the génocidaires in its military campaigns against Tutsi rebels in the region (specifically, Laurent Nkunda). But there are also important differences. Following last year’s elections, the Congolese government has a legitimate need to establish secure control over the country and deal with rebel groups in the East who have been responsible for the displacement of 650,000 people since January 2007, as well as numerous atrocities. With a viable, if fragile, elected government in place in Kinshasa, the opportunity also exists for the international community to use this crisis as an opportunity to push the key parties – particularly the Congolese government and the Rwandan government, as well as the political and military leaders in Eastern DRC – towards negotiating a lasting political settlement in the Kivus, birthplace of all the major conflicts in DRC over the last decade. In the absence of political leadership, however, the likelihood of a slide into large-scale violence is now undeniable. The UK government, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has an obligation, particularly since the UN General Assembly endorsed Responsibility to Protect in 2005, to take heed of information about the protracted danger in East Kivu today, and work to bring local and international actors together to create a peaceful, preventative solution. Dr Joseph Nkurunziza, Chair of Never Again's Peacebuilding Centre in Rwanda says " We need the International Community to come and bring the warring parties together to create a solution for peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa." Everyone can make a difference in trying to prevent another civil war in the DRC. Citizens play an important a role in reminding their political representatives (MPs/Senators/Congressmen) of their obligations, and to check their businesses or independent commercial life does not fuel conflict in mineral-rich DRC. Media organizations need to raise the level of enquiry, understanding and awareness and to hold to account their own government in checking that it fulfills its 'Responsibility to Protect'. Background Latest situation (30 August – September 2) Renewed fighting erupts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo East Congo battles fuel fears of widening conflict 'State of War' in Eastern Congo Fear of fresh conflict in Congo as renegade general turns guns on government forces Sliding into the abyss On the Brink of Fresh Congo War (September 1) Rwandan foreign minister’s interview (August 6) DRC on highest ‘conflict risk’ alert since July Plan for omprehensive peace initiative in the Kivus Contact Email your Member of Parliament (U.K.) - Enter your Post Code code to contact your MP. Email your Congressman and Senator (U.S.) - Enter your ZIP code to contact your national representation. Poppy Sebag-Montefiore, Chair, Never Again International in London poppy@neveragaininternational.org +44 (0)7968043270 Dr Joseph Nkurunziza, Chair, Never Again Peacebuilding Centre in Rwanda josephnr@gmail.com +250-08302821

home / about / ideas / action / join / contact / blog / wiki
Copyright 2006 © Never Again International.

Risk of Conflict in the D.R. Congo

- Reuters August 31, 2007

- Guardian editorial September 3, 2007

- UNHCR September 4, 2007

IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THE situation in Eastern Congo has seriously deteriorated. There are warnings now from observers that the entire region is on the brink of a new civil war.

The UN Security Council, the EU Presidency and other major international actors have all expressed “grave concern”.

But the emerging catastrophe has not attracted the level of consistent high-level political and media attention that it deserves.

Although envoys have been dispatched to the region the story has only periodically flashed across the global media. The last period of civil war in DRC saw 4 million dead and there is little doubt that a serious eruption of further conflict would quickly escalate into humanitarian crisis.

Some of the same ingredients from the last cycle of war are present including Rwandan insecurity over the continued failure to deal decisively with the presence of génocidaires on its borders and suspicion about the motives of the Congolese army, which Rwanda accuses of allying with the génocidaires in its military campaigns against Tutsi rebels in the region (specifically, Laurent Nkunda). But there are also important differences. Following last year’s elections, the Congolese government has a legitimate need to establish secure control over the country and deal with rebel groups in the East who have been responsible for the displacement of 650,000 people since January 2007, as well as numerous atrocities. With a viable, if fragile, elected government in place in Kinshasa, the opportunity also exists for the international community to use this crisis as an opportunity to push the key parties – particularly the Congolese government and the Rwandan government, as well as the political and military leaders in Eastern DRC – towards negotiating a lasting political settlement in the Kivus, birthplace of all the major conflicts in DRC over the last decade. In the absence of political leadership, however, the likelihood of a slide into large-scale violence is now undeniable.

The UK government, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has an obligation, particularly since the UN General Assembly endorsed Responsibility to Protect in 2005, to take heed of information about the protracted danger in East Kivu today, and work to bring local and international actors together to create a peaceful, preventative solution.

Dr Joseph Nkurunziza, Chair of Never Again's Peacebuilding Centre in Rwanda says " We need the International Community to come and bring the warring parties together to create a solution for peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa."

Everyone can make a difference in trying to prevent another civil war in the DRC. Citizens play an important a role in reminding their political representatives (MPs/Senators/Congressmen) of their obligations, and to check their businesses or independent commercial life does not fuel conflict in mineral-rich DRC. Media organizations need to raise the level of enquiry, understanding and awareness and to hold to account their own government in checking that it fulfills its 'Responsibility to Protect'.

Background
Latest situation (30 August – September 2)

Renewed fighting erupts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

East Congo battles fuel fears of widening conflict

'State of War' in Eastern Congo

Fear of fresh conflict in Congo as renegade general turns guns on government forces

Sliding into the abyss

On the Brink of Fresh Congo War

Rwandan foreign minister’s interview

DRC on highest ‘conflict risk’ alert since July

Plan for omprehensive peace initiative in the Kivus

Contact
Email your Member of Parliament (U.K.) - Enter your Post Code code to contact your MP.
Email your Congressman and Senator (U.S.) - Enter your ZIP code to contact your national representation.

Poppy Sebag-Montefiore, Chair, Never Again International in London
poppy@neveragaininternational.org
+44 (0)7968043270

Dr Joseph Nkurunziza, Chair, Never Again Peacebuilding Centre in Rwanda
josephnr@gmail.com
+250-08302821