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UN: conference on Eastern Congo vital
2008-07-21 08:51:14
By Editor
The situation in Eastern Congo is not only Africa's greatest challenge, but the world`s.
A commentator recently wrote that the humanitarian tragedy in Eastern DRC is the biggest global crisis since the end of the Second World War.
It is estimated that Eastern Congo has one of the highest death rates in the world, that is-1,200 people per day.
The United Nations estimates that more than 1.2 million people have been displaced in that area because of the activities of various armed groups and also clashes between government forces and rebels of one kind or another.
The impunity and recklessness is led by gangs of local militia, and Rwandan and Ugandan rebels.
Government forces have for a long time been fighting with General Laurent Nkunda`s army which claims to be protecting people of Tutsi origin.
The government, in its attempt to defeat General Nkunda, is alleged to be colluding with Rwandan Hutu rebels-the Interahamwe.
All the above-mentioned armed groups have been widely accused of committing grave human rights violations, including atrocities, massive sex crimes and conscription of child labour.
The terrorizing and brutalizing of innocent civilians is the order of the day.
The involvement of neighbouring countries in shedding of blood amid the greenery of that beloved country was highlighted by the confrontation of two foreign armies within Congolese soil.
It is said that these countries still have a strong hand in what is going on in Eastern Congo for the sake of protecting their remaining financial and resource extraction networks.
At the heart of the problem are Eastern Congo`s vast mineral resources, which include gold, silver, diamonds, uranium and other precious minerals.
For that reason, some militia groups have control over mines, as the central government fights a lost battle to establish security in the area, and while its own troops are alleged to commit human right violations in the process.
This gloomy picture remains in spite of the United Nation`s intervention, which has one of the largest peace keeping operations in the world.
MONUC, the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has deployed about 2o, 000 soldiers in the area, although some units have already been accused of rape, looting of minerals and trading guns with militia groups.
Much as the United Nations efforts in the DRC are commendable, it goes without saying that impunity and lawlessness still reigns in the Eastern Congo, as this massive human tragedy is dwarfed in African Union and UN forums by far lesser crises like Zimbabwe, where the opposition claims 100 people were killed in post election violence, and Kenya, where about 1,000 people died in post election violence.
Those who are dying in the Congo are humanbeings and this condition has persisted because of indifference of the international community on the perpetual human tragedy and also the craftiness and clout of those who stand to benefit from the looting that takes place over there.
We appeal to the United Nations Organisation to be at the forefront of convening an international conference on the crisis in Eastern DRC.
Ways have to be found to tame all the armed groups in that country and to establish state authority.
If that was possible in Liberia and Sierra Leone, why not the Congo? A Marshall Plan for Eastern DRC is also imperative.
If the Security Council is really interested in ending this mayhem, the mayhem will end and the prolonged agony of the people of DRC shall cease for good. In this age of civilization, nothing can justify what is going on in the `Heart of Darkness`,` or to be precise, ``Bleeding
Heart of Africa.``
A critical eye should also be thrown on the Central African Republic, which is also a haven for criminal gangs. If we don't act, history will surely condemn us.
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