Critical situation in North Kivu, EU must act, say NGOs

(B2)The large map of the Congo occupies the entire table in the meeting room of this European diplomatic mission in Brussels, in the area reserved for "secret defense" diplomats. She served recently. And apparently, we were careful not to fold it up knowing that it could be used again. Rightly so... Because if the "DR Congo" item is not on the agenda of the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense on November 10, it could reappear there very quickly - given the evolution of the situation on the ground.

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new abuses. According to Okapi Radio (a radio station supported by MONUC and European cooperation), "about 5 families from the city of Kiwanja, in Rutshuru-Centre, 000 kilometers north of Goma, have found refuge around the MONUC blue helmet camp ". According to some people on the spot, they are fleeing abuses by CNDP men in retaliation for the attack by Mai-Mai fighters. Several young people were reportedly killed. (*). According to the organization Human Rights Watch, the forces of the Congolese rebel Nkunda (CNDP- to the pro-government Mai-Mai militias on November 4 and 5 in Kiwanja, killing a number of civilians trapped in the conflict zone. He ordered the few of 30000 residents to leave the town and then systematically sought out and killed civilians, especially men, whom they accused of supporting their enemies.Eyewitnesses told HRW that in Kiwanja at least 20 people were killed and 33 others injured in a battle for the town and in subsequent clearing operations by Nkunda's forces. Both sides have committed war crimes in the fighting around Kiwanja and the nearby town of Rutshuru. ( NB: to read, and listen, the Edifying testimony from Radio France
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The appeal of NGOs. "UN peacekeepers in eastern Congo are simply unable to protect civilians who are deliberately attacked," said Anneke Van Woudenberg,
Human Rights Watch Africa researcher. "Governments concerned should respond immediately to the UN's urgent call to send more peacekeepers to protect civilians, who have already suffered gravely." In Brussels, on November 6, three human rights organizations - Oxfam, Human rights watch and International crisis group (ICG) - launched a new appeal to the European Union to get involved more in resolving the crisis in North Kivu, by strengthening MONUC (UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo). "More troops must be deployed as soon as possible" had already said, on November 3, Juliette Prodhan, head ofOxfam in Congo. And “The European Union is well placed to quickly provide additional troops”. According to Oxfam, this mission should facilitate the creation of a safe environment where populations will be safe from attacks, and allow humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to these people who need it so much.

Call which is not without contradiction. This appeal is commendable if the NGOs did not have their own contradictions. An ICG official thus had this subtle remark: these troops should not include French people. Because of their bad relations with the Rwandans. What is actually "beautiful" on paper is totally unrealistic on a political level. The French being the main supporters of intervening in the Congo - and the only ones with the Belgians to know the sector well - this amounts to denying any ability to intervene.

(NGV)

Photo: Monuc/Marie Frechon

(*) Updated November 7. Community radio journalist Ushirika, given for dead during the clashes, was found alive on 7 November