Even as the newswires are carrying stories about a media release from United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan praising steps toward reconciliation between Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its neighbour Burundi, new violence has taken place in DRC
Annan released a report extolling the efforts of the Transitional Government in DRC and its careful re-establishment of order and control. This is easing the growing trust between DRC and Burundi.
Annan noted that the few remaining pockets of rebel resistance in DRC appear to be driven and funded by illegal exploitation and export of resources. It is widely believed these activities are still being orchestrated from outside DRC.
But while Annan’s upbeat message is welcome and is a fair reflection of the reality in DRC, violence is still taking lives. As recently as mid-January, as many as 100 passengers on a boat on Lake Albert were executed by a group of ethnic militia-men. Lake Albert forms part of the border with Uganda and news does not travel fast in these remote areas. Even though the attack occurred January 16, news only began to filter out on January 23. Over the weekend, UN investigators have managed to attend a nearby hospital where many of the survivors were taken but it would still be some time before they can get to the site of the actual massacre. Until then, the UN is unwilling to confirm that the massacre actually occurred.
But survivors have indicated that the boat, carrying about 200 passengers, was boarded by some 20 Lendu militia-men who forced it to dock. Once docked, the militia killed 100 men, execution-style, and then fled along with a number of women and children hostages. The fate of those hostages remains unknown.
In another story, not necessarily connected to the Lake Albert killings, the Chief of the UN mission in DRC, William Swing, last week summoned Thomas Lubanga to complain about continued militia attacks against UN soldiers in the Ituri district of northeastern Province Orientale. Lubanga is head of the rebel group Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC) but he is also presently a member of DRC’s transitional government.
Swing is said to have chastised Lubanga and ordered him to get his group under control. Swing said that much of the current rebel activity is being driven by Bosco Ntaganda, a militia leader recently promoted by Lubanga. The UN has accused Ntaganda of several crimes and UN News has reported that Ntaganda "is charged, among other things, with the summary executions of two people in Bunia in March 2003, kidnappings, rapes, barbaric acts on civilian populations, daily extortion of people's money and items in Ituri, illegal levying of taxes and other offences."
Lubanga was asked to clearly condemn attacks against UN forces and to officially promise, in his capacity as head of UPC, that all acts of violence will be stopped and that any unauthorized rebel groups will be disbanded. It is not known how Lubanga responded to these demands but as a member of DRC’s Transitional Government, it is to be hoped that he is able to corral the members of UPC and keep the peace accord on a clear forward path.
Annan noted that the few remaining pockets of rebel resistance in DRC appear to be driven and funded by illegal exploitation and export of resources. It is widely believed these activities are still being orchestrated from outside DRC.
But while Annan’s upbeat message is welcome and is a fair reflection of the reality in DRC, violence is still taking lives. As recently as mid-January, as many as 100 passengers on a boat on Lake Albert were executed by a group of ethnic militia-men. Lake Albert forms part of the border with Uganda and news does not travel fast in these remote areas. Even though the attack occurred January 16, news only began to filter out on January 23. Over the weekend, UN investigators have managed to attend a nearby hospital where many of the survivors were taken but it would still be some time before they can get to the site of the actual massacre. Until then, the UN is unwilling to confirm that the massacre actually occurred.
But survivors have indicated that the boat, carrying about 200 passengers, was boarded by some 20 Lendu militia-men who forced it to dock. Once docked, the militia killed 100 men, execution-style, and then fled along with a number of women and children hostages. The fate of those hostages remains unknown.
In another story, not necessarily connected to the Lake Albert killings, the Chief of the UN mission in DRC, William Swing, last week summoned Thomas Lubanga to complain about continued militia attacks against UN soldiers in the Ituri district of northeastern Province Orientale. Lubanga is head of the rebel group Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC) but he is also presently a member of DRC’s transitional government.
Swing is said to have chastised Lubanga and ordered him to get his group under control. Swing said that much of the current rebel activity is being driven by Bosco Ntaganda, a militia leader recently promoted by Lubanga. The UN has accused Ntaganda of several crimes and UN News has reported that Ntaganda "is charged, among other things, with the summary executions of two people in Bunia in March 2003, kidnappings, rapes, barbaric acts on civilian populations, daily extortion of people's money and items in Ituri, illegal levying of taxes and other offences."
Lubanga was asked to clearly condemn attacks against UN forces and to officially promise, in his capacity as head of UPC, that all acts of violence will be stopped and that any unauthorized rebel groups will be disbanded. It is not known how Lubanga responded to these demands but as a member of DRC’s Transitional Government, it is to be hoped that he is able to corral the members of UPC and keep the peace accord on a clear forward path.
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