South African troops like these will soon be in the dense forests of eastern DRC on the side of Joseph Kabila one of the corrupts president in The world

fighting M23 Revolutionary Groupe

Deputy Minister of International Relations Ebrahim Ebrahim agreed with a number of MPs who sit in the committee that a political solution was needed in the DRC as the military intervention is not going to help in the long run.

Edward Xolisa Makaya, chief director for Southern Africa at the international relations and cooperation department told the parliamentary oversight committee on Wednesday that over the years, South Africa has been "very present" in the military training of the DRC’s troops. The South African National Defence Force trained three military battalions over the years and that police trained several officers in the DRC.

In recent weeks, the M23 rebels have repeatedly threatened to meet the United Nations intervention brigade that will be deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from next month – made up of troops from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania – with lethal force.

On Twitter, the rebel group has consistently insulted the South African army saying it was old and weak.

But Makaya added that there was a challenge due to bad governance in the the DRC where the army was not properly paid.

"Months would go by without soldiers getting their salaries. That is a source of concern; it’s one of the reasons the M23 is talking about reintegration, which will address those issues," said Makaya.

He said the framework agreement signed earlier this year urges the government of the DRC to ensure it begins to focus solely on what is referred as security sector reform.

"We can train as many soldiers as we could, but if the systems of the DRC government are not up to speed, then it becomes a problem," said Makaya.

‘Concern’
Makaya added: "It’s of concern to us that reports from some of the battalions we trained are that some of the soldiers [previously trained by the SANDF] are part of the M23.

"There’s nothing we can do. We train as requested and now we are going to be training another 4 000 new recruits within the provision of our bilateral provision with that country," he said to gasps around the committee room.

Makaya said the South African government has realised that it was dealing with an exceptional case in the DRC and has decided to adopt a long term view and "have that kind of patience".

Makaya said they believed that the intervention force [of 3 069 troops] will deal effectively with the rebels. "The noise from M23 is because they are now seeing a credible challenge to their existence … they are panicking and want to play on the emotions of this country following the CAR instead," he said.

Deputy Minister of International Relations Ebrahim Ebrahim agreed with a number of MPs who sit in the committee that a political solution was needed in the DRC as the military intervention is not going to help in the long run.

South Africa will start sending troops to the DRC next month as part of the United Nations intervention brigade.

‘Kampala talks’
One of the regional initiatives, under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region involves the "Kampala talks" which are facilitated by the Ugandan government between the DRC government and the M23 militia group who invaded Goma, the capital city of the North Kivu province in November 2012.

M23 has since withdrawn, as a precondition of the talks but continues to present security threat, said Ebrahim. He said the essence of the rebels’ demands was reintegration into the army and political participation.

Ebrahim said the framework agreement signed in February this year articulates a set of commitments by the DRC, the region and the international community.

For the DRC government, the agreement called for renewed commitment to continue and deepen security sector reform particularly with the army and police; consolidation of state authority particularly in the eastern DRC to prevent armed groups; make progress with regard to decentralisation; further economic development expanding infrastructure and delivery of social services.

For the region, it calls for commitment not to interfere in internal affairs of neighbouring countries, not to provide support of any kind to armed groups; respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries; respect legitimate concerns of neighbours and promote economic cooperation.

The UN did indicate that Rwanda and Uganda interfered in the affairs of the DRC and somehow supported the rebel forces in that area.

For the international community, the United Nations Security Council would remain seized with the importance of supporting long-term stability of the DRC and the region.

Intervention brigade
In April, when the Monusco [United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC] mandate was extended for a year, it was announced that a UN intervention brigade comprising of 3 069 troops shall be established.

It would consist inter alia of three infantry battalions, one artillery and one special force and reconnaissance company with headquarters in Goma, under direct command of the Monusco force commander.

Ebrahim said the main responsibility of the intervention brigade is to neutralise armed groups with the objective of reducing the threat posed by armed groups to state authority and civilian security in the eastern DRC.

The Monusco and the intervention brigade will take all necessary measures to protect civilians, neutralise armed groups, and monitor implementation of arms embargo established through various resolutions, said Ebrahim.

He revealed that only Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa have pledged troops to the intervention brigade, adding that they were hoping that other SADC countries would contribute their troops to the brigade.

South Africa and the DRC signed a General Cooperation Agreement signed in January 2004, the main objective of which was to promote political, economic and social co-operation between the two countries. This agreement made provision for the establishment of a bi-national commission at presidential level.

The focus of thecommission had been on post conflict reconstruction and development, essentially assisting the DRC with security sector reform, institution capacity building – which includes the training of diplomats and civil servants – public servants and economic development.

Among the South African departments involved are defence, which is training troops in the DRC, South African police training the police there, trade and industry department assisting in the development of viable economic projects and the Public Administration, Leadership and Management Academy, which is assisting in the establishment of a national school of public administration and the training of senior public servants.

Source: MAIL GUARDIAN http://mg.co.za/article/2013-05-23-sandf-trained-some-drc-m23-rebels

Bunagana, May 1st, 2013
Réf : 021/Prés-M23/2013

To His Excellency YOWERI MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of Republic of Uganda, Chairman of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region “ICGLR” and Mediator of the negotiations between the DRC government and M23
Re: Ceasefire Agreement
Your Excellency, Mr President,
We, at M23, are honored to inform you that we still have hope in peace through the negotiations taking place in Kampala.
Since December, 2012 on the request of the international community represented by the International Conference of Great Lakes Region, we submitted ourselves to all requests from the ICGLR, for instance we withdrew from Goma while we were militarily stronger than the DRC Army and we signed the unilateral ceasefire while the DRC government refused to do so. We maintained our military positions as it was requested and we humbly accepted all the demands which allowed the progress in the negotiations today, it’s during the Kampala negotiations period that the DRC government went to the UN seeking for the resolution 2098.
At this moment while we are still in negotiations, the DRC Army in coalition with the FDLR have left their positions, crossed over and took our positions in Mabenga. Others came from Tongo through the Virunga national Park where they are preparing to attack ours positions in Rutshuru territory.
In Kanyarutshina, the DRC Army in coalition with MONUSCO peace keepers took our positions, which consequently shows that the DRC government is preparing war against us. This is why we at M23, are requesting to the DRC government to sign the ceasefire agreement and to release all our members kept in prison in Kinshasa as a proof of willingness to pursue with negotiations.

We are convinced that the ceasefire agreement will bring in the end of the war and allow peaceful negotiations to take place.
We believe that the efforts made by the mediator and the ICGLR would not be taken in vain by the DRC government and we thank you for all.

Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
- Heads of States of ICGLR;
- His Excellence The Facilitator of Talks between M23 and The DRC’s Government;

Bunagana, May 22nd, 2013
Réf : 026/PRES-M23/2013
To the attention of Her Excellency Mary ROBINSON,
UN Secretary General Special Envoy in the Great Lakes Region
Re: Actual situation in the Eastern of DRC
Your Excellency,
We are once again honored to write to you about the situation that is taking place in the
eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The military operations which are taking over in the surrounding of Goma are a result of
Congolese army working together with his allies FDLR and MAI-MAI armed groups attacking
the M23 positions from Monday 20th may, 2013 at 4:30 am.
This situation is disturbing the political peace process which was proned by the framework
agreement of Addis Ababa of February 24th 2013, the true way for solution in the DRC crisis
and even complicates the Kampala negotiations in which we did and do still build our hope.
We would like to see this military hostilities being stopped on both sides as it appears in our
letter of 1st May, 2013 addressed to his Excellency MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of the
Republic of Uganda, Mediator of the Kampala peace talks and President of ICGLR,
requesting for bilateral cease fire between us and the Government of the DRC. Unfortunately
the DRC government consider the Kampala negotiations as an opportunity for a delay, in
order to obtain the UN resolution for a militarist option.
We remain believing that war will never bring sustainable peace in the DRC.
We highly thank you, Excellency, as you endeavour to bring peace in our region through the
political solution rather than war.
Hoping that our correspondence will take your attention, we thank you anticipatively.

Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
- UN Secretary General
- Permanent Members of the Security Council
- President of the African Union
- Heads of State of the CIRGL
- Embassies

Bunagana, May 22nd 2013
Réf : 027/Prés-M23/2013
RE: Actual situation in the Eastern part of DRC
To the UN Secretary General
New York
Your Excellency,
We are once again honored to write to you about the situation that is taking place in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The military operations which are taking over in the surrounding of Goma are a result of Congolese army working together with his allies FDLR and MAI-MAI armed groups attacking the M23 positions from Monday 20th may, 2013 at 4:30 am.
We would like to see this military hostilities being stopped on both sides as it appears in our letter of 1st May, 2013 addressed to his Excellency MUSEVENI KAGUTA, President of the Republic of Uganda, Mediator of the Kampala peace talks and President of ICGLR, requesting for bilateral cease fire as shows our attached letter. Unfortunately the DRC government consider the Kampala negotiations as an opportunity for a delay, in order to obtain the UN resolution for a militarist option.
We again express our political will to have a bilateral cease fire agreement to bring peace to our people and allow the political dialogue to take over. We want this framework to deal with root causes of this conflict rather than a simple treatment of symptoms as it was recommended by H.E OLOUSSEGUN OBASANJO your Special Envoy in this very matter in the year 2008 – 2009.
We stay convinced that war will never bring sustainable peace in the DRC and want to assure you, that we believe that, the presence of the UN Mission in DRC remains an opportunity in our quest for peace .
Hoping that our correspondence will take your attention, we thank you anticipatively.
Respectfully

Bertrand BISIMWA

CC:
- Permanent Members of the Security Council
- President of the African Union
- Heads of State of the CIRGL
- Embassies

Des soldats de parade, aussi remarquables les jours de défilé qu’inaptes sous le feu.
They look like soldiers on parade, but useless under fire

Qu’il s’agisse d’une escarmouche due à des raisons plus ou moins futiles -la gestion d’une source-, ou d’un accrochage plus sérieux qui pourrait mettre fin à cinq mois d’une trêve de facto, les combats qui ont opposée hier les soldats du M23 aux troupes gouvernementales et aux rebelles hutu rwandais des FDLR, leurs alliés, autour de l’abreuvoir de Mutaho -à une dizaine de kilomètres de Goma, dans l’Est de la RDC- préfigurent certainement une partie du scénario pour les semaines à venir.

Lorsque la Brigade d’intervention de la MONUSCO, mise en place par la résolution 2098 du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU pour « neutraliser » les forces de l’Armée Révolutionnaire Congolaise, branche militaire du M23, sera prête à agir, il suffira un épisode déclencheur comme celui de Mutaho -une offensive conjointe FARDC-FDLR contre les positions de l’ARC et la riposte, quoique contenue, de cette dernière- pour susciter l’intervention sur le terrain de la nouvelle unité spéciale onusienne sous commandement d’un général tanzanien.  Celle-ci ne se limitera pas, par conséquent, à exercer une fonction de dissuasion mais se déploiera en ordre de combat face aux troupes du général Sultani Makenga, chef militaire du M23.

Dans cette perspective d’« affrontement final » contre la « révolution congolaise » du M23, se consomme tristement la dérive des Nations Unies qui abdiquent leur rôle fondateur de partenariat mondial  pour la paix pour se muer en force d’agression contre toute forme de résistance au nouvel ordre planétaire établi par les grandes puissances.  Un ordre qui exige un pouvoir faible et prédateur en RDC avec Joseph Kabila à la tête de l’Etat et qui sera à tout prix défendu, même au risque d’embraser à nouveau la sous région.  Ainsi, l’alliance qui se profile dans les collines et les jungles du Kivu entre Casques Blues, FARDC et FDLR signe -dans la collusion théoriquement contre nature entre une mission de paix devenue mission de guerre et des forces génocidaires- l’arrêt de mort de l’ONU en tant que régulateur impartial des conflits et la perte définitive de sa légitimation en tant qu’agent de paix.

Mais les événements de Mutaho nous apprennent une deuxième leçon. La provocation orchestrée par Kabila à la veille de la visite du Secrétaire général des NU à Kinshasa montre jusqu’à quel point le locataire du Palais de la Nation se sent conforté par ses parrains internationaux. Ceux-ci  feront probablement mine de critiquer son inaction face aux engagements pris dans l’accord-cadre d’Addis-Abeba. Mais ils sont en réalité les derniers à être intéressés à un véritable processus de réformes en RDC,  qui dote par exemple ce géant d’Afrique centrale d’une armée en mesure de faire respecter sa souveraineté nationale et d’un pouvoir capable d’en assurer le développement et de garantir le bien être de ses populations.

Pourtant, et avant qu’il ne soit pas trop tard, il faut au moins que les Etats de la sous région prennent la mesure des conséquences de l’intervention de la Brigade onusienne. Car tous ne resteront  pas  les bras croisés devant le nettoyage ethnique et l’extermination des communautés banyarwanda dans le Nord Kivu.

Luigi Elongui

El Memey Murangwa

Par El Memey Murangwa

On aura tout vu dans ce pays qui par ses richesses fabuleuses devait devenir un paradis. Hélas ! Les guerres se succèdent emportant avec elles la joie des pauvres habitants qui ne savent à quels dieux confier leur désespoir. Impayés depuis belles lurettes, ceux qui sont commis à la protection des personnes et de leurs biens dévalisent, rançonnent, et sèment la mort. La femme paie le prix fort de cette escalade de violence.

Première nourricière de la famille depuis que l’emploi est devenu une denrée rare dans ce pays aux immenses terres arables, elle se réveille au grand matin, traverse la forêt dense pour aller au champ pour qu’au retour elle puisse bien nourrir sa maisonnée. Le plus souvent elle rentre en pleurs après avoir subi un traitement humiliant de la part des hommes en armes qui s’accaparent d’une grande partie de sa récolte et la viole à tour de rôle. Ces véreux n’hésitent même pas à faire de même sur la mineure d’âge qui accompagne sa maman.

De retour au village déserté par les hommes, elle est souvent accueillie par des lamentations provenant des vieilles mères qui  maudissent les porteurs d’armes qui n’ont pas eu froid aux yeux en découvrant la nudité de ces personnes qui dans un passé récent avaient le respect de toutes les générations. Au Congo dit démocratique, l’état a cessé d’exister depuis une vingtaine d’années,  dans les  provinces des hommes en armes s’imposent et commettent l’arbitraire sur une population paupérisée par des dictatures successives.

Les intellectuels et les jeunes valides se réfugient dans les pays voisins en attendant de sauter sur la première possibilité de se rendre en occident pour une vie meilleure.  Dans cette tragédie, le gouvernement  reste silencieux. Au lieu de s’attaquer à ceux qui violent, les tenants du pouvoir autocratique ne s’intéressent qu’à ceux qui menacent le régime pendant que le viol continu de faire son chemin. Déshumanisé, les hommes abandonnent les femmes violés condamnant leurs progénitures à un avenir incertain. Les enfants nés de ces ignobles actes deviennent des enfants de la rue et constituent une pépinière qui très vite produit des violeurs impénitents. Au Congo le viol est devenue une arme de guerre, les victimes sont tenues en haleine par une armée d’inciviques qui étendent leurs autorités sur des espaces pouvant contribuer au développement de la nation congolaise.

La presse en parle timidement, les  confessions religieuses fustigent ce comportement inhumain dans les églises mais n’osent pas interpeller les tenants du pouvoir sur cette question. La presse internationale en parle peu et justifie-le manque d’information par l’inaccessibilité des zones en guerre. Une guerre étrange qui détruit les valeurs humaines et qui contribue à l’émergence d’une génération sans cœur. Une guerre qui véhicule les maladies honteuses et les germes de la mort. Une guerre qui  déstabilise la famille, matrice et cellule de toute nation. Qui donc délivrera le Congo de ce fardeau ? La solution ne viendra sans doute pas de la Banque mondiale, ni de l’ONU, mais celle-ci doit venir du Congolais qui doit d’abord prendre conscience de sa condition actuelle et apprendre le plus vite possible à se prendre en charge.

© VirungaNews

Colonel Vianey kazarama The M23 military spokesman With journalist in Bunagana

KINSHASA – The UN and World Bank chiefs made a fresh push for peace and development as they arrived Wednesday in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the latest bout of fighting has sent thousands fleeing.
With major violence flaring up north of the regional hub of Goma for a third day after a six months truce, Kinshasa has accused the rebel movement, known as M23, of trying to scupper peace efforts in the restive eastern DR Congo.

Later Wednesday, the rebels announced they were ready for "an immediate cessation of hostilities to facilitate the visit of the United Nations secretary-general in the city of Goma".

The group however warned that if the "truce" is not respected by Congolese forces, rebel fighters have been "clearly instructed to react vigorously with firmness."

MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo, reported that a rocket launched from a rebel position on Wednesday had killed one person and injured four others.

According to the government, the fighting has left 19 dead since Monday.

A UN source said there was no question of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon cancelling his trip to Goma because of the unrest, which comes barely a week after the first troops from the new UN intervention brigade arrived in the east.

Earlier in the day, World Bank president Jim Yong Kim had pledged $1 billion in aid for Africa’s Great Lakes region while Ban said "now is the time for peace and development for the people of DRC and of the region."

"That is why we are here that is what we will continue to do one hundred per cent," Ban said in Kinshasa after a meeting with President Joseph Kabila at the start of a three-day tour that will also take him to Uganda and Rwanda.

Despite vast mineral wealth, the country — which covers an area roughly the size of western Europe — is ranked by the UN as the world’s least developed and has been devastated by some of Africa’s deadliest wars.

Kim said the new funding, intended to promote health, education, trade and infrastructure in the region, "can be a major contributor to a lasting peace."

The rebellion launched in the east last year, which led to the brief capture of Goma in November, threatened to drag the region into a fresh fully-fledged war amid UN claims Rwanda and Uganda backed the M23.

Regional and international diplomatic pressure forced peace talks on the warring parties but fresh fighting broke out on Monday, with each side blaming the other for the resumption of violence.

While the government said 15 rebels and four army troops died in the clashes, the M23 said the figures were inflated.

The UN’s refugee agency said the new spate of fighting less than 10 miles of Goma had led around 30,000 displaced civilians to flee their temporary shelters.

"The Mugunga I camp for the displaced, which housed 55,000 people, emptied by 45 percent while Mugunga III, which had 13,000 registered residents emptied by 70 percent," spokesperson Simplice Kpandji told AFP.

Ban said during a visit to Mozambique earlier this week that the deployment of a rapid UN intervention force made up of about 3,000 African troops should be accelerated in view of the fresh unrest.

"Considering what has happened I think we must expedite the deployment so they will be fully responsible as soon as possible," said Ban, who is also accompanied on his trip by UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and Mary Robinson, the world body’s special envoy for the Great Lakes region.

The force was approved by the UN Security Council in March as its first ever "offensive" peacekeeping brigade.

Ban is due on Thursday to visit Goma, where troops from the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world have been deployed for years but chronically failed to prevent bloodshed and most recently failed to pin back the M23.

M23 — a largely ethnic Tutsi group — vowed to retaliate if attacked by UN troops.

They said they had come under attack from government forces early Wednesday.

"The FARDC (Congolese army) has been attacking us since 6:00 am (0400 GMT) with mortars, tanks and rocket launchers in the Mutaho area," M23 military spokesman Vianney Kazarama told AFP.

Colonel Olivier Hamuli, spokesman for the army in North Kivu province, denied government forces had started the fighting.

"It is they who began (to attack) as they want to take Mutaho at any price… We are fighting back to defend our positions and so far we have suffered no losses," Hamuli said.

He accused the rebels of deliberately firing mortar shells on civilians to rekindle a crisis and wreck international peace efforts.

UN and other aid groups said six people living near the Mugunga camp were wounded by shelling on Tuesday.

AFP