Painting by Cheri Samba

Lokuta eyaka na ascenseur, kasi vérité eyei na escalier mpe ekomi. Lies come up in the elevator; the truth takes the stairs but gets here eventually. - Koffi Olomide

Ésthetique eboma vélo. Aesthetics will kill a bicycle. - Felix Wazekwa

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Diplomatic dance, military advance

The M23 rebellion took control of Rutshuru town for the second time in three weeks yesterday, sending Congolese soldiers running. While the army ran out of supplies, allegations immediately also began trickling in of Rwandan - and even Ugandan - support to the rebels, which had allowed them to break through the MONUSCO and army defenses after a morning of heavy fighting.

Which begs the question: What has happened after on the international stage since the publication of the UN Group of Experts report, implicating Rwanda in support to the M23?

The main shift was initially led by the United States, a longtime friend of Rwanda. Following the publication of the UN report, the US denounced Rwandan involvement and, on July 21st, announced it was cutting $200,000 in military aid to Kigali, and would consider other cuts in aid, as well. Other reprimands have been less public: the canceling of a visit to Kigali by Gen. Hamm, the commander of Africom, as well as a visit by a delegation led by Deputy National Security Advisor, Michael Froman. In addition, the US government had put in several phone calls to Kigali, including one by an Undersecretary of State to President Kagame (it was supposed to be Secretary of State Clinton, but it didn't work out due to scheduling issues.) In early July, Special Advisor on the Great Lakes Barry Walkley visited Kigali himself and met with Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, denouncing Rwandan support to the M23.

While Bill Clinton was effusive in praise for Rwanda last week during a visit, as was Tony Blair, very few western embassies in the Rwandan capital still doubt that their hosts are supporting the M23. This week, there were reports from diplomats that the United Kingdom, which in general has been much less aggressive that the US, has delayed the disbursement of development funds for two months, while the African Development Bank is doing the same with $38.9 million in budgetary aid, and the Dutch government with $6.1 million. This is more than symbolic; while the funds may eventually be disbursed, the delays will seriously mess up budget flows.

Almost more important than aid is Rwanda's upcoming seat on the UN Security Council, which will give the country substantial diplomatic leverage. According to diplomats present at the African Union summit in Addis a few weeks ago, Kabila - who almost never attends these summits - had gone to the meeting planning to rally member states to strip Rwanda of this seat. He would have had to convince eastern and southern African states, but South Africa was apparently ready to back him, as were countries like Angola and Zimbabwe. However, at the summit, Kagame was able to convince Kabila to back away from such drastic measures and leave time for diplomacy. The two are scheduled to meet again in Kampala on August 6 and 7 to discuss the possibility of a neutral military force. Most diplomats I have spoken to, however, think such a force would take a long time to muster, giving time for a further escalation of the conflict. Rwanda will officially be elected to the Security Council during the UN General Assembly in September.

So a lot has happened on the diplomatic circuit. And yet, the pressure on Rwanda has not been able to stem the fighting. Besides the M23 advances, other armed groups are also stirring, including in the foothills of the Ruwenzori mountains (Beni territory), as well as in Ituri.

150 comments:

Anand said...

The cuts and delays in aid are certainly significant. I don't mean to understate them, nor the efforts of those who have pushed for them. But I still wonder just how far the west will go with Rwanda. I think the only question that matters is, will any of these measures slow or end the fighting? Also, what will these measures do to counteract the mobilization of other militias, which we've seen recently. I am just very much in wait and see mode as to how the current level of diplomatic engagement will evolve and how effective it will be. It's some yardage gained maybe, but many yards left to go to the endzone.

Also, any idea how these cuts will affect the average Rwandan?

Anonymous said...

Let dead aid stop!
Dambisa Moyo says aid stifles growth, makes people lazy, fuels corruption and gives western countries undue and arrogant influence over africa. To hell with aid, whether it is $200,000 or whatever, to hell.

In fact Rwanda should fund its expenditures using internal revenues and sell bonds.

Congolese will say Rwanda survives on selling coltan and minerals. bullshit. Does Rwand have the capacity to dig up minerals that are 10-km underground, process it and ship it? This is the preserver of those withholding aid!
Rwanda gets its money through DFI Read here:

Rwanda’s foreign investments surge to $476.5million


Rwanda has registered a twofold rise in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, according to Rwanda Development Board.

Statistics from RDB indicate that foreign investment flow shot up to $476.5m in the second quarter of this year, up from $220.4 million in the same period last year. The growth is attributable to the rapid economic development strategy adopted by RDB

“The investment is expected to create 11,436 jobs. Jobs registered in this last quarter are also higher compared to those registered in the same quarter last year mainly due to a big number of temporary jobs in mining projects and expected to create 5,153 jobs same period last year,” RDB said in a statement seen by the Business Times.

“We have registered an increase of more than 50 per cent in the total value of registered projects, compared to the value of projects registered in the same period of 2011”

According to RDB, through a clear and well- coordinated result oriented strategy (a rapid economic development strategy), they managed to attract the investment.

Under the strategy, each department at RDB promotes investment---targeting specific investors for a specific clusters and investment projects.

“The government has also opened strategic business offices in different countries like Turkey, Canada, UK, USA, South Africa, Singapore and China, with the aim of promoting investments in those countries”

Tourism attracted more investments worth $184.2 million, agriculture $98 million, while construction, real estate and mining attracted $60.6 million and $54.8 million, respectively.

ICT, services, manufacturing, education registered $41.4 million, $20.1 million, $16.4 million and $1.1 million in that order.

Anonymous said...

Kagame's side of the story

This country DRC had elections. With all problems it had, we tried to play a very positive role with Government in Congo, and after that we were working together to deal with security challenges that have affected us for the last 18 years.


Then they come up with ideas of having people they want to arrest in the Congo for justice, for accountably, which is good if only it wasn’t selective.
Actually the pressure turned from the country where they wanted to arrest people, it turned to us. This was before this conflict by the way; I’m only giving you the origin of it, how it doesn’t even involve Rwanda, even though at the end of it, you’ve seen all the accusations. I’m sure maybe by the end of the day, we are going to be accused of holding a meeting in Nyakinama plotting to do something in the Congo. But fortunately we are with some of their representatives here so, I think they be considered because of this.
We even tried to be helpful; I was the first person, when we learned what was going on and how it was being messed up, I called the President of the Congo. I picked up a phone and called him, I said “You know what, there is something coming up that I don’t understand, are you aware of it? Are you behind it with these others I hear about? Aren’t you creating problems for yourself? He said “Yes, they have come to me, they have told me this, but my approach is different, I want to arrest this fellow for his indiscipline but I am not handing him over to the ICC.”

This is a conversation we had and I am just revealing secrets. I told him “I hope you will be able to contain the problem” and gave him the details of what we had from our intelligence. Then he asked what I thought we should do, and I suggested we have our people meet to find a way of managing the problem. We had a meeting in Rubavu and the officials from the two countries spent day and night discussing this issue and in fact they were agreeing with officials in DRC about the problems that were to be addressed in order to avoid any problems. They even invited the so called rebels to be part of the meeting, at the request of the DRC Government. One of them is the fellow who is leading this rebellion. They came, explained their grievances and the DRC officials were taking notes and agreed that indeed they were aware of the grievances and that they would address them. But when they went back, they did the opposite and we heard the fighting was going on, because they went ahead and wanted to arrest some people, the same people they were discussing with and the whole thing was spinning out of control.

Again I called the leader of Congo and talked to him. When things continued getting out of control, the only thing that came out was UN, the whole world, every country that you know, these powerful countries, was that Rwanda was helping the rebels. Helping them with what? And for what reason? They were became vague and started talking about supplies, what supplies? Guns? These people are picking guns from their own armouries. The arms and ammunitions they are from their own country. We are not supplying even one bullet, we have not. And if we had done so, I would be here telling you that we have, because we would have done so for a reason.

Anonymous said...

Juste came yesterday from a tour in the kivus, Rwanda and uganda. And from what I heard rwandese and ugandese are not deterred at all by foreign sanctions... "we will have enough time to military oblige DRC to negotiate in a position of weakness".
My analysis of all of this is that Uganda kept low profile at first but it is informed and involved in whatbis going on in the kivus. Because of increased pressure on Rwanda uganda is increasing its involvement for offloading Rwanda of some of the potential blame. What struck me the most is the clear convergence between uganda and rwanda at least at the operational military level.

I also got reinforced in the feeling that this war is a racial war, in uganda from the civil society I heard how the hemas, Museveni tribe they are basically tutsis, are dominating military an pushing for war in drc. every move to debate on parliament of uganda drc policy is systematically blocked.

With this configuration I do not see what Kabila will discuss with kagame and museveni in kampala. I also do not understand how Kabila backed off from pressure to fight against rwanda security council seat. The neutral force will never come. Kavula will again sign a fallacious treaty without involving parliament but this time h is risking his head. Mindset in Kivus is changing, people are less and less ready to accept anything from Kabila.

Iam in south africa now,and some in the ANC people are starting to get the racial dimension of this conflict. Bantu(hutu, congolese) versus Nillotic (hema, tutsis)as large majority of ANC is bantu one might foresee in which side they will bounce.

Thank you Kagame for fuelling all this nonsense in Africa.

PK.

Anonymous said...

sooo.. whats next now i hear that uganda is involved in this war in east kivu to the point where they sent a battalion to reinforce the m23 in rutchuru. lets see what kind attitude the west is gonna be giving to m7 if its gonna be the same way as pk.all i can say is that this war is gonna be deeper than wat ppls think

Anonymous said...

Important also to note that U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Stephen Rapp has warned publicly that Kagame could be liable for war crimes before the ICC, which currently has active jurisdiction over Congolese territory:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/25/rwanda-paul-kagame-war-crimes

Anonymous said...

Re the UNSC seat: Rwanda should be disqualified ipso facto, given the conflict of interest that would ensue if it was a member and thus reviewer of the Group of Experts report.

I realize that this may be too rational for the UN's nutty politics, but still....

Anonymous said...

First of all my deepest gratitude to the group of experts and the few people that supported them as they had the nuts tu put things publicly on the table. I'm sure it hasn't been easy in the tight UN system but now, like after CNDP surge against Goma, we begin seeing the results.

Secondly I would like the same conditionality on aid being applied to DRC too because the rhetoric of Rwandan aggression is to widely used to mask also the disfunctioning of DRC's authorities, their corruption and the lack of security reforms. A good, well prepared army would have had nothing to fear from a small insurgency. It is sad to say that Kagame is taking advantage of the weakness of congolese leaders and I partially agree with him when he says the the problem is congolese.

If on one side the IC must pressure rwanda to stop its influence in eastern congo on the other they should also pressure DRC's authorities to change radically their behaviour and attitude and start implementing reforms, paying salaries, restablish the rule of law and the respect of human rights.

People in the kivus are right to be tired as the record of last governments is just ridicoulous and not for rwanda's fault.

Anonymous said...

Jason, why you do not mention the article in the Guardian with the declaration of Stephen Rapp, comparing Kagame to Taylor of Liberia? This seems to me very important, or am i wrong?
see : http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/25/rwanda-paul-kagame-war-crimes?CMP=twt_gu

Alex Engwete follows also events in Nord Kivu and he mentions also some positif news on the FARDC. Is this completely nonsens? see : http://alexengwete.blogspot.fr/

blaise said...

@ PK
interesting insights as usual. I was quiet surprise by Uganda going "rogue". I thought they will stay low since the hire of the IC is focus on Rwanda.
I just hope that people will finally realize that denouncing foreign intervention, although very important should not occult the fact that we need to organize ourselves and defends the country. As long as those people will think they can come n go in Congo as they wish, we will have the same problem over and over. It's really disheartening to hear those soldiers complaining they were left unfed for days.What kind of message are we trying to send? It's easy to clink on some good news here and there but what is the end game. those who are fighting are the ones who need a morale boost not those who are blogging!An honest and non partisan analyst should conclude that the problem of Congo are created by Congoleses first. When England was alone in WW2, the did all those denunciations and war's rhetoric but they did more:they organize and resisted. Nobody will come in our rescue until we cut all those loose ends.(corruptions,betrayal,etc).
@ ano JULY 26, 2012 10:34 PM
Maybe Jason should start a Rwanda Siasia just for you.(Just kidding).
In a more serious note, I don't think criticizing Rwanda imply directly Rwanda hatred. To quote one of your compatrioe:"why should we love you, are you our wives?"
As one said, there is no smoke without fire.I don't think people just are just pointing to Rwanda because the whole world hate Rwandans.Actually, nobody really cares how good Rwanda's economy is doing except Rwandans and their friends. I think "mr H" point out that some officers in the RDF were suspended for illegal activities in the DRC.That was 2011. Do you seriously believe they got them all?Pres Kagame prides himself for organization and fight against corruption.Do you believe he will admit that he doesn't have full control of the country as he thought? That will make him look weak end out East,it's dangerous to look weak.
I personally believe that the M23 got some support from Kigali and if you follow the thinking of pres Kagame, you can tell that he was talking about one aspect(Bosco) while the rebellion was in fact about another dimension.
My take is that your president knows that something went out of hands. He has to go with it.You guys are downplaying resentment among your people.I pray for you that this bubble won't burst again.

Anonymous said...

real unbiased reports that Jason Stearns and his Hate campaigners would rather forget or boycott:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/15/genocide-rwanda-16-years-irony

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous

I think most people here are rooting for the FARDC ; unfortunately the matter of the fact is : they cannot win and these are few reasons:
1. Kabila is a Kagame ally who created a lot of mess within the FARDC, making these a losing machine. Just remember he (along with General Amissi Tango Fort) orchestrated the defeat of FARDC in Mushaki three years ago
2. Kijege has not defected and is head of Logistics at the FARDC HQ in Kinshasa. How do you want Kijege to accept the defeat of Bosco and Sultani alias Makenga? For once I agree with Kagame regardings ammo supply. Why Rwanda should supply M23 with ammos while Kijege is doing that job?
3. All the chain of command is still in the hands of CNDP guys. Please recall that while some defected, the majority is still within the FARDC and directing the military operations. One must be naive to think that a tutsi soldier would fight and kill his brother on the frontline, especially if he is backed by the head of state.
4. The few congolese warriors who could threaten CNDP had been sent far away long time ago (think about General Padiri).
5. Experimented congolese soldiers are always put under command of a CNDP soldier and exposed to death. Just remember what has been done to these young soldiers from South Kivu who were sent to Bunagana. They found themselves under heavy fire and quickly discovered that they had been betrayed by their "commander". It was a relief to see them retreat in Uganda and save their lives since the aim of the FARDC hierarchy was to kill them.
6. No congolese highly educated people dare join these local warriors and educate them. In Goma, Butembo, Kinshasa, Bukavu and abroad highly educated people would sit down and complain about General Lafontaine, Colonel Kahasha, General Janvier, Raia Mutomboki (etc.)while sharing a beer. However NO ONE would take a risk of joining them in order to help them understand and unravel the entanglements of what is going there. What do you expect a guy like Lafontaine or Kahasha to do, given their intellectual level?

I am sorry to be so blunt, but there is no way DRC can win this war if there is nothing done by the people. Why are there no huge manifestations to topple Kabila? Why independant people are not saying anything? Only the Civil Society of North Kivu is showing some courage in the face of danger.

Anonymous said...

@ anonymous July 27, 2012 1:07 AM

This is it; you have just confirmed that you are indeed mentally and intellectually challenged. Go and get your own blog where you can do your thing the way you want. Stop using someone else's property to expose your insults and limits. You come into someone’s house where you are welcomed and allowed to express yourself but you choose to insult the owner of the house. This is indeed a sign of poor upbringing, if you do not like the house, just leave and go to a house that suits you or build your own. By the way I forgot to mention that this is you guys preferred habit that is going to other people’s property (OPP) and trying to monopolize the said property and make it yours and in the process bring barbaric killings and mayhem, things you guys know very well and are so used to. Leave Congo Siasa alone, there are a lot of positive thinking people on this blog. Bring your constructive criticisms if you can and if you have any, to the dialogue that goes on daily on Congo Siasa.

May be the name of the blog should be changed to Rwanda Siasa perhaps as suggested by someone else on this blog, to make you feel better.

Loboko

Anonymous said...

@ Blaise,

"Nobody will come in our rescue until we cut all those loose ends.(corruptions,betrayal,etc)." Pertinent thought, indeed.

May I suggest as a first measure, my friend, just how we can 'organize and resist’: IMPEACH KABILA!

That's why last year the country desperatly needed regime change.

During the electoral period, we got called names for advocating regime change in the DRC in order to having –at at last - an experienced mind, a clever leader sit at the Nation’s Palace by the mighty Congo River. I once hinted the “WYSIWYG” (What-You-Support-Is-What-You-Get) rule to warn some of our Congolese brothers about the catastrophic consequences of their blind support for Kabila or inability to discern his double game (by the way, were you not struck how he went all the way smiling to shake his hand with Kagame in Addis Ababa recently. Just contrast that attitude with how the US Secretary of State refused to shake hands with the Japanese ambassador when the latter came to deliver a letter, as Japan was attacking Pearl Harbor in December 1941...). Yet, JK got consistently showered with praise in this blog for his “bold decisions”, how he was not “dumb”. My friends, where are we heading into with this leadership? Five words: Chaos!

I'm not naive and not saying with the change of leadership we would not be having to face this situation, which would have anyway been visited on us. (Remember just how the Rwandophones and the CNDP supported JK re-election and threatened that another outcome of the election would be disastrous for the country's stability, as another leader-you know whom I'm talking about- will not be able to "handle Ntaganda")

But here's the difference:with JK this country will continue facing problems of it not being a normal country. With regime change, the country would be facing problems it attempting to become a normal country.

I'd rather swallow the second bitter pill...

Bruno

Anonymous said...

why not give a chance for Patrice Lumumba's Daughter to stand as a President,and ask Joseph Kabila to stand down in the interest of peace.Hutu power genocidaires (supported by some African States,majority of Western and Arab Nations Vs Tutsi (not much supported by Western powers),will you the suggest that Hutus have their state,and Tutsi their own independent State?

Anonymous said...

@ Bruno

It is nice to read you again; I am one of those who have been advocating the same thing about JK. JK has been and still is a terrible disaster for the DRC, no matter what happens, his past will always determine, dictate his way forward. Any one with common sense can see that over the past 11 years, he has completely weakened, destroyed the FARDC by putting in place things like “brassage”, “mixage”, “integration”…). These are treasonous acts whose end results have been to place soldiers from Rwanda, Uganda in positions of command within the FARDC. How can anyone expect these guys to fight against their comrades? It just does not happen in the real world. These actions have only profited the enemies of the DRC (Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and others). To this day, after all that we have witnessed in the East and after the electoral “coup d’etat” of November 2011, I can not understand any sane person defending this guy. The enemies of the DRC are going to do what they must to exploit the weakness of the JK regime, these weakness’ are well known what is JK doing to bolster the DRC where it is weak. It has become a cyclic event now,every few years a Tutsi lead rebellion starts in the East with the help and support of Rwanda, JK uses the same FARDC who are mixed, “brassed”, “massaged”, “Integrated”, hill paid and provided for to fight their former comrades who would soon be “massaged”, “integrated” in the FARDC, it is simply revolting to see this. I agree with the people who say that the problem is with the DRC’s corrupt and incompetent elite (I should not use this word which has a degree of excellence in its meaning but clowns, buffoons). Why can they learn from the DRC recent past and do what everyone knows must be done.

The National assembly,if it has any spine which I doubt very much, should “IMPEACH JK” and give the DRC the chance to move forward with a different leader who will look after the interests of “Congo na biso”

Bismark

Anonymous said...

We should stop blaming FARDAC as they're fighting two foreign well-trained/armed forces, UPDF & RDF.
The enemy is very desperate to occupy all mining shafts and also enslave the population-Many Tutsi families have swore never to be enslaved by Rwanda and Uganda war-loads
What we should be doing now, is the formation of self-defence cells headed by FARDAC.

Congolese Patriots in diaspora,please use any means you can fight-within your environment-to create more awareness.
We need to create a situation that'll make the world listen more to our pain.

MODUKI EZANGI MASASI ELELAKA TE, NZOKA MOTEMA EZANGI BOLINGO ELELAKA BILELALELA!!

Rutshuru/London

Anonymous said...

@Rutshuru/London

I completely agree with you.

I think next week there are many manifestations that are announced in Congo.
See here : http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/85559

and here : http://www.dia-afrique.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=940:rdc-la-marche-du-1er-aout-2012-autorisee&catid=37:politique-et-societe&Itemid=29

Diaspora should inspire itself on these movments, not be manipulated by Ngbanda's fifth column.

Anonymous said...

@PK (welcome back), @Bismarck , @Bruno, @Ano JULY 27, 2012 6:32 AM

Kabila must go he is Kagame accomplice.He is a traitor who should be judged for high treason.

But now I feel terribly defeated, all the things that people have been warning have happened and are continuing to happen. Kabila is still in power and continuing to undermine our armed forces, making us looking stupid face of IC and I do not know what else I can do.

We are demonstrating in front of Rwanda embassies, we are calling US senators, we are sending money for supporting people suffering in Kivu but this senseless slaughtering does not stop. I don't know hat else I can do,should I start my own rebelion against Kabila or devise plan for murdering him????

Everyone see our people dying for a stupid ethnic domination agenda and nobody move, i just dont know.... today according to unhcr half million displaced and uganda implication becomes even more evident, when will all of that stop?

Anonymous said...

Sadly enough , we as congolese citizen there is as much as we can do, if DRC congolese government does not do its part, we are doomed....

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous

I also feel this terrible pain of seeing Congolese humiliated, killed, raped in the face of the world. The most hurting think is the belief of other nations that we are weak people, "ibichuchu" as says Rwandan people.
Nervertheless, I do believe that Congolese can change the situation easily :
1) Expose the treason of Kabila. What does it take to congolese people abroad to prepare a document exposing Kabila. It seems easy to document what he did to your army in Mushaki through Amisi Tango Fort, what mess he has created in Kivu. How can you explain the fact that soldiers are not paid in Kivu ?
2) Push your parliament to disavow him. I am convinced that if each guy in the parliament was personally called upon by his relatives and his friends to "impeach this guy", may be things can change
3) Shake up this "opposition". This Kamerhe has been boasting himself as an adversary of Kabila, but so far he has shown no courage. People should let him know that this is the defining moment. People in Kivu have been looking for his leadership but he has failed them. He should be told to board a plane, and land in Goma. There he should organize mass protestations and rally all the Kivu against the Rwandese and Kabila. If he fails, people like Khonde Vila Kikanda can still rally people in the Kivus against Kabila and this could spread to the whole country.
Do not rely on the catholic churches as Kivu bishops are siding with Kabila

Anonymous said...

CHISEKEDI and his UDPS tribal Cult are once again supporting the enemies. I heard that ROGER LUMBALA is again asking the BALUBAS to rally bihind the m23 the way they did with the RCD GOMA ,once again It's prouven how much the UDPS TRIBAL CULT and NGBANDA has been dividing the nation in order to help the enemy win. This time the people are not going to pardon CHICHI if again he start taking trips to RWANDA ,taking KAGAME's money ,and call the m23 a Congolese movement like he did the RCD goma .

Anonymous said...

@bismark,ano July27,2012 1:24 pm
I have a bad news for MOBUTISTS loosers and members of the UDPS TRIBAL CULT who always. Pop-up everything the m23 Enemies make a small gain,and start indirectly defending KAGAME and RWANDA by blaming everything on KABILA and the so called CONGOLESE corruption. The bad news for you is :1-the m23 is a doomed movement,they may make some gains and occupy some villages in north Kivu ,but they are not going no where .
2-the m23 ,or KAGAME are not going to remove KABILA from power and return MOBUTU or BEMBA....
3-the UDPS TRIBAL CULT of CHISEKEDI is a dead opposition movement ,and KAGAME or BOSCO is not going to help you gain power .
4-weather you like it or not ,the Congolese peoples are going to UNIITE and the enemy will again be defeated.
5-if you think that one day the m23 ,or Rwanda will be able to control NORTH KIVU ,SOUTH KIVU and even get close to Kin ,you are just dreaming .
6-KABILA will one day leave power ,but the bad news for you is that his replacement is not going to come from someone from your tribe ,or a former MOBUTIST.

Anonymous said...

Thisekedi and lumbala balubas tribal cult ngbanda, m23 all of that in the same sentence???? What about Kabila not paying the troup and signing treaty selling out congo?

Tshisekedi never was in rcd, and never sold out the country, he has his shortcoming but at least, give him credit for his fight.

For traitor, look at Kabila, alias Kanambe the tutsi or half tutsi ...

Anonymous said...

I meant everytime the m23 makes a small gain,Bismark pops up and makes a celebration,and every time ,that there is a good news about the DRC and a bad news about KAGAME ,Mr Bismard retreats to his basement and starts his small MATANGA. The bad news for you is that your extremism will keep you and yours in a MATANGA for a long time,even long after CHICHI and JK are gone.

Anonymous said...

The plan to Balkanize the CONGO has long failed,when KABILA came to power,the Country was divided in 3 ,with RWANDA occupying NORTH ,SOUTH KIVU and part of PROVENCE ORIENTAL under the name of RCD ,and UGANDA occupying parts of NORTH KIVU,PROVINCE ORIENTAL and EQUATEURE under the name of MLC with the help of MOBUTISTS loosers like JP BEMBA ,NGBANDA ....the bad news for bismark ,Nganda and KAGAME is that will never happen again. The DRC is and will remain one nation.we will continue fighting the enemy in the hills of NORTH KIVU until they are defeated. They will be setbacks but the m23 are going no where outside the mountains of NORTH KIVU until they are defeated.

Anonymous said...

Jason Stearns concludes that 'a lot has happened on the diplomatic circuit'as far as putting pressure is concerned yet m23 have advanced and so are other rebel groups steming up.So what does that tell us that the solution of congo is not on Rwanda but within the Congo itself.Aid will be cut,diplomatic ties will be cut just as many congolese and human rights wished and Congo will still be as choetic as it has ever been.Once again wake up congolese stop wasting your breath on talking only-roll up your selves and work.

Anonymous said...

@ano july 27,2012 2:29 PM
Before I respond to you I would like to know if you are a RWANDESE ,a MOBUTIST or a member of the UDPS TRIBAL CULT.because it's hard to tell the difference between those 3 groups.
1- the Congolese peoples are working hard and that's the reason why our economy has been showing a 6 % or mor .
2-CONGO is not just north or south Kivus,KAGAME and his supporters may try to make the KIVUS chaotic ,and use that to discurage investments in the DRC but he will be defeated.
3- Wile North Kivu may sim chaotic because of the war , KATANGA is booming and is one of the fastest growing economic regions of AFRICA , attracting investors from every coner of this planet. Something that will never happen to your little impoverished RWANDA.
4-the m23 movement is doomed and KAGAME is fighting the last loosing battle of his now dying DICTATORSHIP.

Anonymous said...

I meant more than 6% growth.

Anonymous said...

All the investors who leave THE KIVUS ,move to KATANGA or KINSHASA but not your little impoverished RWANDA with nothing to offer. The word is not as dumb as you and KAGAME thinks. and after we defeat your m23 terrorists ,the KIVUS will be flocked with investers from every coner of this planet,who are waiting impatiently .the m23 is doomed and is going nowhere.

Anonymous said...

Once again someone is being paranoid with 'Rwanda has nothing to offer but congo has'.Well, I have got news for you.Britain exports more gold that Zimbawe and South Africa yet they (Britain) dont own any gold mines,Ask yourself why,and who is doing better than the other,Britain or Zimbabwe?
Its not about minerals in the ground/soils its about brains in your head.

Anonymous said...

From where I stand Katanga is not a country,its a region in the congo and if the economy is booming in the katanga region,then why is it evenly distributed.There are key factors that are taken into consideration when classifying an economy to be doind well or not and bridging the gap between the rich and the poor is one of them.If katanga is well,why is the national Army going without salaries,going without basics like food and sleeping on grass like chicken-Did you see Aljazeer footage on the sleeping quartes of the whole National Army? Embarassing,no wonder they ran like hell at the first site of an M23 bullet and they are right.Why would you put your life in the line of fire well knowing that if you die ,your family will be left with northing.Congolese government is an embarassment to this world.

Anonymous said...

I meant why is the booming economy in the katanga region as claim not evenly distributed?

Anonymous said...

Now Congo is asking MONUSCO to change their mandate and fight the rebels for them.For God's sake is there anything the congolese ever do for themselves? They ask for help for practically everything-First the noise was please International community help us Rwanda is supporting rebels,then MONUSCO please fight the rebels for us eh!!All this laziness is the legacy left by Mobuto.I wonder what they would have done if they had been faced with a situation like what Rwanda face in 1994 where UN,whole world abondoned them and they had to stop the genocide on their own.Time to man up CONGO

Anonymous said...

NTV Uganda's Journalist Byaruhanga with M23:

http://youtu.be/IYhD5s6OlT0

Anonymous said...

For those who know how to differenciate Mombasa,Eastern Congo,Tanzania swahili, just listen to M23 Colonel, his swahili is without a doubt swahili accent from Mombasa and Tanzania:

http://youtu.be/b8a1BkDzigE

Anonymous said...

About the US,Belgium, remember these interviews about CIA and Belgian secret services agents involved in Patrice Lumumba?

http://youtu.be/AgQNlpbjaTc

The West are cynical, wars and bloodshed profit their economies,and at the end, they lecture on human rights,democracy and God knows what else!

Anonymous said...

By Matt Spetalnick
WASHINGTON | Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:32pm EDT
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama signed a measure on Friday to strengthen U.S.-Israeli military ties, a move that could score points with American Jewish voters on the eve of Republican rival Mitt Romney's highly publicized visit to Israel.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/27/us-usa-israel-obama-idUSBRE86Q02S20120727

Anonymous said...

EU-ISRAEL ties:

http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2254957&language=en

Anonymous said...

Sudan: China, Russia and USA provided weapons or military training for bloody conflict:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19566

Anonymous said...

Arms sales to Middle East:

http://bristolagainstarmstrade.wordpress.com/military-sales-to-middle-eastn-africa/

Anonymous said...

British Israeli Drone Partnership:

http://bristolagainstarmstrade.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/british-israeli-drone-partnership/

British-Israeli military did bring to power various armed militias in East Africa, starting with Idi Amin,and then sort of moved to having a close relationship with Museveni's NRM,Israel trained Mobutu's Presidential Guards, that is how business is done,my Friends.

Do your homework, even Jason knows the truth, this world is being battled between China,Russia and their allies, against those...you know.

Why is it that all of a sudden, the West is interested to finance Africa in controlling population? such suggestions were not made for India and China...

Why does the West promote genetically modified food for Africa?

Thomas Sankara once said, in his last speech in Addis Abeba, that those who seek to destroy the African people are supplying weapons which kill Africans, African on African bloodshed,who profits from Africans hating Africans?

So,the West said that WMD was a concern in Iraq, or they said that they had to find the terrorists who bombed London and New York,but conspiracy theorists claim that it is a resource war benefiting Western oil corporations,in fact, benefiting western private mercenary firms in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Please, you can only fool People who are blind not to see the game of the real profiteers of Africa's ignorance!!!

Anonymous said...

In this two-part series, Rageh Omaar travels across Africa, investigating the consequences of US involvement in the region. In this first part, he investigates the genesis of Africom, the US military command for Africa which was launched in October 2008, and asks whether Barack Obama can turn US-African relations in a new direction:

http://youtu.be/vNOCxFdNFh8

Rageh Omaar travels to the US and through East and West Africa to investigate the US strategy for the continent. Can Barack Obama make a decisive break with the path set in Africa by the Bush administration?

America's New Frontline: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

http://youtu.be/MYoRiCLX6Tk

Anonymous said...

To ano making no distinction between supporter of Kagame, of mobutu and ngbanda and making bord prédiction on 4 points. Dear this is wish list.

Don't know if yourself congolese or rwandese or dreaming in your room or from the Kavula inner circle.

What Bismarck, blaise , jose , pk and others say is that the goal is to have a strong Conga that can ensure its own safety. Is it mobutu, tshisekedi, ngbanda or any other opponent who is not paying soldiers? Who is responsible of this utter humiliation in the front lines and now asking monusco do its war? Who is afraidof his own army and prefer others to fight for him because he fears for his own security and does not care for the population.

Kavula un the last 10 or 15 years has shown us his capacity. Time of lullaby is over, the situation is serious. The real problem is simple it is Kabila, I don't think DRC will survive him. His goal is to destroy it.

I totally agree with those saying that Kabila and Kagame are doing a common plan. How to understand such a level of mediocrity? I also totally agree that M23 might pass but Kabila will bring dwn DRC with it. Kabila now begging angola that is in conflict with drc for the oil in mwanda and for land in kahemba. In what position will Kabila will negotiate? Whose interest will he defend ? What will he again sell. Isn't it simpler to take some of the money he embezzled with getler and pay the troop and equip them ?

Read the prince from machievel, a prince cannot maintain his power with merceneries. THe prince cannot rule fearing population hate him and fearing his own army. He weakens army in favour of merceneries but merceneries are loyal only to themselves while army is loyal to the nation.

Kabila must be killed, deposed, assassinated, impeached whatever and a true congolese must bring together concolese make them feel comfortable in their own country, transform potential into wealth for population, build a real national army, and clean the mess in the east. Removing Kabila is solving 90 % of congoleze problem. We need hop and pride, someone we can associate to not this traitor who is selling the country.

Anonymous said...

@ano. July 27,2012 5:25, 5:27, 5:47
Yes KATANGA is not a Country but is the DRC, even here in the USA,TEXAS ,CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA are more developed,and prosperous than ,IOWA,IDAHO,ALABAMA etc...in CANADA, ALBERTA ,BRITISH COLUMBIA or ONTARIO are more developed and prosperous than Newfoundland,MANITOBA....in RWANDA the only thing that resembles a City is that little town of KIGALI ,a town that is 70% a slam ,the rest of Rwanda is nothing close to even BUKAVU or GOMA but you want people to think that because KAGAME and BOSCO have built some homes in some part of KIGALI ,for the war criminals with blood money from KIVUS,Rwanda is developed. Rwanda is not and it will never be developed.KENYA is 100 years ahead of RWANDA, ANGOLA is 85 years ahead, COTE D'IVOIRE 85 years ahead,NIGERIA 95years ahead ,TANZANIA 70 years, and despite the war THE DRC is 75years ahead of your RWANDA ,yet none of those Countries is developed. about the military help from MONUSCO,I don't see anything wrong with that,even GERMANY,JAPAN ,CANADA,AUSTRALIA ,SOUTH KOREA,BAHRAIN etc are all dependent on the UNITED STATES military ,for the last 18years RWANDA was receiving considerable financial and military aid from the UNITED STATES,Britain etc...Wile the DRC was under financial and military AMBARGO. Now things are going in a different direction ,and i unsure you that ,this is the last battle for your KAGAMES dying dictatorship.

Anonymous said...

@ano july 27 2012 8:40 PM
The problem with people like you ,is that most of you only see the COUNTRY in the eyes of KABILA,CHISEKEDI or BEMBA,people like you are the reason why the RWANDES are Insulting us and calling us stupid. NO one is a KABILA fanatic here,but there are many members of mostly the UDPS TRIBAL CULT who do not care about that nation,and some times when I see KAGAME or MUSHIKIWABO insulting the CONGOLESE I think he is just repeating what he heard from some dumb members of the so called opposition. Wile the entire world is putting pressure on KAGAME to get out of the DRC ,the dumb extremists mostly members of the UDPS TRIBAL CULT are just trying to amplifier the RWANDAN excuse that the problem is not RWANDA but CONGOLES irresponsibility. The problem with CHICHI and his supporters is that most are extremists,tribalistes,arrogants and not smart people who have wasted most of their lives and educations waiting for their MESSIAH ,The so called ya CHICHI to come to power.blaming KAGAME's crimes on the so called Congolese corruption and irresponsibility does not exclude CHICHI and his so called UDPS or ether opposition groupes because they are also Congolese.during the elections we so many of you demonstrating all around the world,some of you even publicly undressing yourselves for your MESSIAH( YA Chichi),but now that the Country is under atack ,you are nowhere to be seen. Where is CHICHI and his so called COMBATANTS?what happen to your outrage? Wile the real Combatants are in the hills of NORTH KIVU fighting the enemies, YA CHICHI and NGBANDA's.so called COMBATANTS are in PARIS ,LONDON and BRUSSELS atacking WERRASON,JB MPIANA, FALLY ....or commit acts of vandalism against the Congolese embassy.and on the way to the DRC embassy you passe in front of the Rwandan one and waive at Rwandan officials.no wonder they are calling us the s word.if you think that bashing the DRC will help you get power or overthrow JK ,you are dreaming, we want to see opposition leaders who put Country first.like Dr OSCAR KASHALA, KAMERHE or even KENGO ,but not a cult like ,power hungry figure who wants power at any cost. And can't stop ciding with the enemies of the state.
The crimes of PAUL KAGAME if not stopped now,are going to affect our CHILDREN and Grand children long after both your YA CHICHI and JK are gone . KAGAME has to be stopped no matter the cost. We have lost over 5 million people and we have nothing more to loose .
PAUL KAGAME's bloody reing of terror has to be stopped now .enough is enough.

Anonymous said...

I have a bad news for KAGAME's supporters,and a good news for the friends of the CONGO. The BRITISH have also suspended a 16 millions euros aid to Rwanda.

blaise said...

I believe we have two choices to make:
-we can either do business as usual, glorify our silence leader, insults anyone who is "bashing" congo(since pres Kabila is Congo too) and going from set backs to setbacks
or
- we can be proactive and analyse coldly our short coming and propose concrete solutions to solve those problems.

I personally don't see the relevance of those self proclaimed patriots who are shredding everybody else aspirations from the comfort of their sofa in occidental country.
Shall I remind those "patriots" that young Somalians left the security of their Pennsylvania's suburbs to go fight with Shabbah in Mogadishu? I dare anyone in the West who have the gut to join us on the ground and fight.
We, as people, have to grow up. We need to decide what we should do next.A staunch Kabila's hardliner asked me:"what are the other Congolese leaders are doing if Kabila is so bad". i agree with him. To paraphrase what JFK said :" Don't ask yourself, what the country(Kabila) can do for me, but what can you dofor your country(or to help Kabila).
It's sad that, those who are fingers wedging to others are the one who help less. Do you know how much was raise among Congolese diaspora in Bruxelles the time they had that violent march? 100 euros!People gave one euro for the country.What are we supposed to do with that?
You call yourself a patriot : leave the luxury of your apartment and come fight with our brave soldiers in Kivus.If you can't do it, you should remain silence and respect what others are doing. I bet most of those patriots don't even know we have 28,000 IDPs alone in the North Kivu. Do you love those Congoleses? do you take them as your brethren? Or you just care about those freaking coltan?Congo is rich but how come we, the 70%, are so broke. Give us our riches back! as long as we will have the mindset that we are rich we won't go anywhere.
As for those Rwandans who keep bringing up nonsense about their development, got 3 words for you :GOOD FOR YOU. and also : WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN! Congoleses are hard workers and brighter than the average. Travel around and compare how many Rwandans are professional abroad and how many are Congolese. We are bleeding our doctors and nurses. I heard about them being in Rwanda but not the way around. Go to Brazzaville, ask if there is a congolese on bord, go to South africa,Botswana,Maroc,Angola,France,Belgium,Singapore,China,Usa,Brazil, go ask before you talk about nonsense.
We are unfortunate for having poor management so far. Having psychopathic neighbors doesn't help either.That's right, you guys have psychological problems that you are keeping under control with an Iron fist. i will advise you not to democratize until all of you psycho are dead, otherwise there will be more vengeance killing. If you have substantial counter arguments to advance, we will be more than happy to discuss with you, otherwise, you may as well get lost.

Anonymous said...

@Ano 10:43

You are illogical, i think you are the one who is fanatic. Who is not paying the soldiers fighting in front lines ? Who is sabotaging the army ? Who is giving Kagame arguments? Who runs this country so bad that being congolese is seen as being cursed?

Please just respond to these questions.

If there are people liking Tshisekedi it is their right, their ultimate right. If you like Kabila is your right. If you see the situation through tribalism and that precludes you of seeing that your super competent president is selling the country, it is also your right. But please either comes with arguments based on fact or stop doing Mobutu Mopap like propaganda for Kabila. Just blaming evryone for your own incompetence.

Anonymous said...

Well said Blaise, Rwanda be happy in your country and leave us alone!!!!!

Enjoy your spectacular economical growth that is making all hutus so happy in their own country. No congolese ever know where is Gitarama but you all know about kivus and katanga.

As people you are very far to have the potential of congoleses. Very far and we dont care, even jf you have, good for you. We speak about you because of your genocid in our country otherwise we would never notice you.

Kabila your brother is sabotaging us,but we will get ride of him, sooner you might think. Thanks to you I know that i am assimilated to a hutu and that i can never expect to trust you, Rira bien, qui rira le dernier.....we will see....

Anonymous said...

How short sighted, egoistical politic is driving an entire nation tk abyss. I was reflecting on the current drc political situation and i wanted to share it.

We, as a population, are dearly paying the farce of congolese election led by Ngoy Mulunda and Phd Ndjoli. Role of elections is not only to bring someone to power, it is also a way of marrying the population to a leader. Elections also have a regulatory role it allows opponent to know that they have a way of peacefully accessing to power. It is a way of settling score peacefully showing that the state belongs to everybody and that eventually the population is the only source of power.

In the international settings, elections gives legitimacy to a government. It ensures that a government has the requiered credential to speak on behalf of a nation and that a government is a good interlocutor, a reliable partner.

In DRC case elections have solved neither of these goals. Internally , population dissociate itself from the ruller that it consider as illegitimate. Opponent have no pacific way to fight for power. Internationaly the government has lost credibility . One of the consequence is to be obliged to go after Ntaganda because IC is obliging you to give "something" against it turning a blind eyes on your election. The francophonie soap opera also shows how Kabila has difficulties to be taken seriously.

The government legitimacy turns from the people to external backers who can ensure a non agression pact with it. And when external backers are of bad faith like Rwanda and Angola, government start giving up unbelievable concession against population interest just for ensuring peace at border and its survival. That is also why francophony summit is so important, he cant have internal recognition so he needs international one.

Population is seen as a menace, own army as a threat and any critics as an act of treahison. As if the president and his government were the nation. I will call it the Mobutu syndrome. Someone advised to read Machievel, and I remember reading it. It is true that you cannot rule against legitimacy from your population. Mobutu was a proof of it and Kabila is another new one.

According to me, Kabila cannot afford to feed the congolese military and equip them as these soldiers would one day overthrow him. He prefers to have Rwandese CNDP within the army because these foreigners need Kabila to continue maintainingtheir domination. These Rwandeses 5th column know that except Kabila no true Congolese leader would allow entire sectors of army and entire regions to be ruled by them.

1/2

Anonymous said...

2/2

Kabila needs these Rwandans merceneries to stay in power and these mercenaries need him to maintain their agenda. They might also have the same agenda , who knows? That is also why Kagame need Kabila in power and Kabila talk so casualy with Kagame. They know each others. M23 is killing people to give Kabila a reason to negotiate, the army must fail so Kabila can gives his reason of : " i have accepted negotiation for peace" or " negotiations have been imposed to us and for peace we did it". This is an abject game with congolese population caught in the middle.

These elections have another more hidden effect, it demoralize Congolese to invest in their country. No congolese feel secure in an environment where justice does not exist, salaries are not paid and the government discourage investor by a totally inconsistent tax and investment system.

Toping all of that the future of the nation is totally jeopardized. The education system is decaying without government giving a damn. Primary, secondary and university is far from its level of 10 years ago. Even in the army, military academy disapeared, except EFO that train non comissioned officer, funded by belgian and the CSM supposed to train comissioned officer,(i said supposed) all main training camps have disapeared Kota Koli, CETA, Kisangani rive gauche, everything ha disapeared. No one sent for training abroad or very few.

KABILA has set this country for long lasting failure. A good note tough,i have been observing Matata, i know him for some time. He has the will, really want to make the difference. But he hasnt the power requiered to make long lasting changes. Army, security forces and mining industries are out of his reach. He has no say over these areas.

The key issue for Congo is that all the potentials that Congolese are showing abroad have to channeled by a legitimate government that will make anyone comfortable.

Kabila should, as i doubt that he will resign or die tomorrow, release Diomi, Kutino and all the others roting in DRC jail for political opinion. Let UDPS and all other opisition party demonstrate or operate as they will according to the law. Change CENI, even if that means losing regions and senate thus no constitutional change for a third term. Void all dubious mining contract and launch transparent tenders. Start enrolling and sending youths from all regions in training for creating a true army. Disolve Gssp, verse its troop to regular army and create a special unit within police for personality. There should be only one army. Fire all rebels.
Reduce presidency budget to buffet, banquet and so. It is the government budget that should do public investment. Reform Justice, that should be point number one. Reform education, it should be the first budget post with health.

These could strong signals to reestablish the link between Kabila and the nation so that he can use Congolese to protect congo unless fearing them.

PK

Anonymous said...

CONGO needs good leadership. Althougt the concept of leadership extends beyond the political realm into civil society and business,it is the political leadership of a country that is of singular importance because its sets the mood and sense of well being of a nation. KABILA political leadership's is mediocre, undisciplined and irresponsible. We, as Congolese must, without any help from Kagame “IMPEACH KABILA” and give the DRC the chance to move forward with a different leader who will look after the interests of Congo. There is one possible way to obtain possession of political power in Congo without war and with no help from the very corruptible National Assembly and the weak and Irresponsible Congolese Opposition. Please read my take in the next post on WHO-WHERE-WHEN and WHAT to do.

Mwana Inchi.

blaise said...

@ PK,
man,that's one of the clearest road map I read from a fellow Congolese. Maybe our brothers and sisters who are wasting time marching abroad will understand that those who lives this drama "en direct" need more supports than cheer leading. We have problems, it's time to think about solutions no more time for platitudes.

Anonymous said...

so,the US Government,Africom and the international community support KONY 2012, France,Belgium,Israel,US provide military support to NRM controlled UPDF, UPDF get granted to hi tech drones technology to bomb African nations,US Army provide US Special forces to 'track' down LRA, and Rwanda has no right to track down genocidaires?

same game, divide and rule, this time African countries are being manipulated to bully Rwanda, shame on you, Uncle Toms!!!!

Anonymous said...

War from virunga park
http://gorillacd.org/category/threats/

No comment...

Anonymous said...

@Mwana Inchi,

Still waiting for your take....

Anonymous said...

I am quitting this blog, I wont open it again, I am tired of reading the rubish comments posted by congolese in diaspora. These congolese after long working days cleaning toilets of europeans, they sit on computers and loosen their frustrations on Rwanda/Kagame.

Rwanda is a functioning country, despite gross injusticce done at Berlin 1884 to make it small. Congo was made big by king Leopold firne, but they are a hopeless counry that cannot manage itself.
By Jason!
Muzalendo wa wukweli, kutoka maziwa makubwa

Anonymous said...

Hi Jason,

I heard that today top Rwanda army officers from Rwanda and Congo met with the presence of Monusco high level military agents some where in Goma or Gisenyi town, If the news is true what do we think they have achieved?
I think they are begging Rwanda to stop M23 not to take control of goma city.

What do you guys think?

TK

Anonymous said...

Goma seriously menaced, FARDC have left Kibumba position and falling back to Coma.

Kabila, our dear leader is about to speak...

PK.

Anonymous said...

So what say all the Richie and co who were supporting Kabila. And ano who said that all people criticizing Kabila were traitors. What now ?
Is it still the fault of the whole world of ugandians, rwandese, usa, IC and co?

This is personal Kabila failure that is costing us our pride and innocent people's live . Now he will negotiate, as usual and Makenga and co will become generals. Kivu will be even more alienated and congolese even more victims in their own country.

Anonymous said...

I often wonder what would motivate Jason to travel all the way from the US, spread ethnic hatred,fool the UN, and constantly promote xenophobia against Banyamulenge and Rwanda.In DRC,or any other African countries,you will find for example a Congolese speaking the language of Zambia or Congo Brazaville,but yet,they were born in what we know as Congo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast are without a doubt countries that shared the same culture before partitioning, or Ethiopia/Djibouti/Eritrea, Abafumbira of Uganda who share a similar language to a bordering region of Rwanda,Fulani tribe found in Nigeria/Mali/Niger and have similar culture with Masai of Tanzania/Kenya,or indeed the Ankole/Hima tribe of Uganda/Nubia tribe of Sudan.But because Europeans are not honest and look for ways of survival for their economies, Europeans play on division to keep Africans busy hating and fighting each other.Jason Stearns will go down in history as the likes of Tschombwe, or the CIA/Belgian secret services who used confusion,power and money to divide Africa.Western powers puppet Mobutu whom was exposed by the same powers who brought him to power and enrich Western governments and corporation, sometimes made points worth listening to,I am not a Mobutist, but I am inviting non blind individuals to look closely at what Western powers once seek to achieve in the African Great Lakes, a region every continent is seeking to conquer,the game is that when you speak the truth to western powers or when you don't follow instructions given to you, western powers seek to destroy you,and in order to do that, they look for lies that can be presented in the eyes of international community so that they go ahead and butcher you like Patrice Lumumba,Thomas Sankara and the many other panafrican Freedom fighters who were killed by western powers!!!Alluta continua!!!

http://youtu.be/x8bxRJ4lCCU

Anonymous said...

"Every since independence, domination of resources has continued to fuel violence in many States, with former Belgian still seemingly locked in a vicious cycle of conflict over its mines, African rulers, Foreign multinationals and Governments have continued to strike deals to plunder commodities, and help cripple national economies already set back by the colonial experience...the continuing diversion of minerals is not the only exploitative practice,Today, Africa is the largest recipient of external aid in the world, a continent where half the population survive on less than $1/Day, for every aid Dollar coming in, $10 are lost through illegal capital heading out.$437billions has left Africa, between 2000 - 2008,left illicitly and illegally, and much of that have been transferred to tax havens, mostly owned by European Countries, and Britain particularly,the ordinary people of Africa have not benefited from this last decade, which has been a very good decade for Africa economically...Under a shadow financial system, built on the ruins of colonialism, foreign Banks and multinationals working in Africa avoid paying tax, anonymous trust accounts, fake foundations, money laundering, tax havens, trade mispricing, all go unchecked.Since 1970, an estimated $854billions has been lost, enough to have wiped out external debt, and have left $600billion more for development, the financial rewards can be traced back to the Countries proudly bailing out a dependent Africa with Aid, a striking parallel to the colonial story."

congo man said...

I totally agree with blaise,we need to mobilize and exchange ideas,this is not time for the so called Kabilistes and Chisekedistes to start fighting. I just don't see why can't KABILA mobilize his so called allies (ANGOLA,ZIMBABWE,NAMIBIA..)or even bring in mercenaries from anywhere he can get them. I don't agree with those who think that calling for military help is giving up your sovereignty. The french helped MOBUTU put down the KATANGAN separatists, not only once but twice ,in the Kivu I think Mobutu used western mercenaries to fight LAUREN KABILA's second rebellion in 1967, we are under atack by 2 Countries and we need to mobilize all our friends ,the SOUTH AFRICANS,ZIMBABWE,ANGOLA,NAMIBIA and anybody that we can get to help put down this invasion .unlike in1998 ,rightnow Rwanda is getting isolated and the entire world opinion is against their behavior.the more this escalate ,the more RWANDA get isolated .please dear KABILISTES and CHISEKEDISTES let's focuse or our attention on the aggressors,fighting each ether now only held the Rwandese. We will confront Jk or Chisekedi after we are done with Kagame and Museveni.

Anonymous said...

At Congoman.Higher mereceneries? arent there men in Congo? or have they ceased to be men.Why cant they fight themselves.

Anonymous said...

all congolese need to do is to change from the Dombolo's mindset, and be good citizens as you were under Patrice lumumba, did you know that Patrice Lumumba had a good relationship with Nations you now hate? Lumumba and Julius Nyerere even intervened to protect King Kigeli when Belgians wanted to imprison the Rwandan King.Come on congolese, be panafrican as Lumumba was,and not xenophobic!!!

Rich said...

Rich -

It will be surprising to see Congolese who never rated J Kabila (during the election or otherwise) to back him now that the country is once again being severely destabilised by the enemies of peace in DRC. I still think very much that there is still no OBJECTIVE basis upon which to say things could have been any different if J Kabila wasn't in charge of the DRC.

That said, I still believe that kagame's fan on this blog should not let themselves be carried away by a sense of triumphalism since we've seen far more sophisticated dictatorships on this planet and we all know how they end. What kagame is doing is just not sustainable in the long run. Peace and democracy are keys to any sustainable development.

Rich

Anonymous said...

I agree@Congoman

Let's focus and avoid Kabilistes and Chisekediste squabbles.
We can't fight both internal and external battles at the same-time-Rwanda is the tumor that's causing the cancer.

However, we should not lose hope, as this's just the beginning of the real struggle.

Unlike previous years when FARDAC was fighting the population, this time its different-the population on the ground is pro-FARDAC.
Its not about who controls which land but who's supported by the populace.

Yes, I can understand when folks are disheartened with the set-backs on the Rutshuru/Rumangabo axis. The terrain is a very tough-one to get used too.
Its also better for FARDAC to understand the strength of the enemy/collaborators in the early stages, as this's not a clean-up operation. Engage and retreat.
Let the enemy arrogantly show-off...
I'm very convinced that FARDAC will prevail!

Rutshuru/London

blaise said...

@ Rich
I believe that although some people are still stuck to the November's elections,most Congolese don't really care who is in the helm as long as the person delivers.
To illustrate my point:
- When Mobutu came back from France, you saw a SPONTANEOUS human chain from Kingasani ya suka to the palais de marbre. Young people enrolled to the army and went for training in Kibomango. Is that means that Mobutu was all of the sudden more popular?
- When Laurent Kabila had his back against the wall and his friends was jumping ship,he call on the people and again they delivered. Was he popular at that time again?I doubt it.

What I'm trying to say is simple: Congolese are better than their politicians.They are more pragmatic than ideological. They are not stupid.They knows they need a functioning state to protect their interests.
A simple look at the CENI's statistics after the election will tell you how across the board the vote went.People voted because they needed answers to their problems. You should study those numbers(they are imperfect but I believe close enough).People voted for their preferred candidates, they moved on with their lives since.
To go back to JK, I think ordinary people want to feel secure in their country and not fear for their lives.Believe me, when you are hearing that rebels are at your doorstep, you don't think about anything else than to get out of there.You blame the person who is supposed to protect you.
How hard is it to provide at least for the men in the front with food,salaries and ammo?Don't you think that those new defections could have been avoid if the foot soldiers felt their interests are better served in the army than in rebellion?How are we supporting our army?What will happened to those young men family when they die in the front? When was the last time you heard about an hero like Mahele inside of the army?
There is nothing objective to prove that without Kabila things will have been different, but I will have take my chance anyway.Telling the true,there was no truly statesman in the ballot to start with.
I believe it's an overdue time for us to discuss about solutions instead of blaming others. You are right that we don't necessary need a power hand out since that will create more problems than solving the problem. We can talk about unity but you need a dynamic partner in the government to channel all those goodwill.
Personally I believe local authorities should start taking charge of their own problems instead of waiting for Kinshasa to intervene.
You should post that youtube video about Jk press conference, I heard he was more philosophical than straight forward with his answers,will love to make my own opinion.

congo man said...

If the UNITED STATES Can request NATOs help to fight the insurgents in Iraq,and the Taliban in Afganistan, and now RWANDA is teaming up with UGANDA to atack the Congolese ,there is nothing wrong with the Congolese asking for our allies or unlisting mercenaries to help us fight and the aggressors.
I also think the FARDC shall team up with the RAIA MUTOMBOKI freedom fighters instead of confronting them. Most of the RAIA mutomboki are the remnants of the Mai mai fighters who helped Mbuja MABE drive Nkunda from BUKAVU. all the former CNDP shall be sent far away from the Kivus in order for the RAIA mutomboki to fight. Unlike 1998 or 1996 when Rwanda invaded the CONGO with the blessing of the Cliton and BLAIR Administrations ,this time the truth about RWANDA is out ,and the word opinion is on the Congolese side.Kagame is becoming a embarrassment for his former backers and the DRC needs to capitalize on that .After the BRITISH now GERMANY has just suspended It's aid to Rwanda.without our Coltan and western aid I don't know how can Kagame survive.
The more he escalate this adventure ,the more isolated he gets. Let's wait and see how far the M23 will go.

blaise said...

@ Congoman
let's not forget the other side, the longer they stay, the longer they can smuggle trucks loads of mineral to offset their revenues lost.china will buy,they don't care.

blaise said...

@ JULY 28, 2012 7:05 PM
... and your country was great from centuries, even the Lord establish the new jerusalem there,bla bla bla
Why u guys(rwandan) love 2 rewrite history?Nobody went to fetch u(I thought there was no more tutsi or Hutu?what a bunch of craps). Your leader was scared that those FAR will finish up the job, that why they did a preemptive strike. Beside, unlike you, he was smart enough to seek popular support. And again, the war wasn't conduct by Rwanda alone,there was at least 6 countries openly participating and others were on the shadow.
How good did you fair the second time?Not went that far alone,isn't it?
If those M23 was smart they will have understand that controlling a territory 3 time or more than Rwanda has his advantages.Smart people know that economical might has a longer lasting effects than military victories.Japan and Germany(twice) learn this lesson.Your xenophobic keens will learn that as well.

Anonymous said...

@Rich, @Congoman
I am extremely disapointed by your position. The underlying message of your contribution is because people do not like Kabila they wont fight for their home? And for Congoman we have to bring mercenaries because Congolese are not man enough to defend themsleves ?

Are they Congolese talking or Rwandese ? This is unbelievable !!!!!

I dont think you undesrtand what you say. So Angolans, Zimbabwean will die for the Congo while Congolese are ready to die for their soil. And in exchange what will they take. This time chief of Army will be Angolese and cchief of custom Rwandese?

That is where Kabila lack of vision has led us, Kabila and his people are fearing their own population. We as a population cannot even count on our own government for giving us the means to defend ourself.

In his today discourse Kabila said that he will include the whole nation for solving this problem. I really hope that he undesrtand the extent and gravity of the situation. In trying to keep his seat he is making us loose the country..

At this point, we are no more at the level of loving Kabila or not. Kabila has to make opening to bring the nation together. Talk with Tshisekedi, Kamerhe and the others for solving thlegitimacy issue, that ha become a distraction. Unity gesture have to start from him, and that should be directed to CONGOLESE and not Angolans, Zimbabbwean or American.

if Kabila loves Congo, he should understand that he is not the congo. There are 70 Millions of Congoleses and his role is to bring them together and base his effort on them. Blaise had said everything and gave example of what the population is capable when it is involved.

This situation reminds me this quote from the bible: to those who have it will be given, to those who have not it will be withdrawn even the little they have.

Kabila is our curse it is more than time that he becomes our bliss
PK

congo man said...

@ Blaise
They are not going to hold any territory for a long time. Like I said,this is not 1998 or 1996 where they had the IC fooled and even MONUC working for them. This time they are shooting themselves in the feet . They are trying to threaten Goma in order to force a negotiation that will again allow them to hold territory and again create a parallel Command Chain .in Kagame's twisted mind ,he is just trying to replace BOSCO with someone else and keep the status Co. I don't think JK is that suicidal or stupid to repeat that mistake .I might be naive but I think this is going to end militarily ,they will be pushed out of Bunagana and any other village just like they where pushed out of Bukavu,or kin.I hope JK 's trip to Lunda was successful. Let's wait and see.

Anonymous said...

I understand now why DRC is so "cursed". Because of Congolese thinkers and inteligentsia who are unable to "unite" for people interest.

Have been reading this blog for understanding the dynamic of the confict, why Rwanda could create so much chaos in DRC.

I have read congolese complaining about Rwanda, IC, Kagame, insulting Rwandese, insulting themsleves, calling for "unity" but when PK try to explain internal roots of the problem (there are also external) and propose to that Kabila as the president start to unite his people around him and open political dialogue. Blaise and anonymus explaining that contact between population and DRC leaders has to be reestablish so that the mutual defiance ceases.

Response of Kabila sympathizer is lets call mercenary from other African country or Kabilaand reinforce Mai Mai (Congoman) or people wont unite around Kabila anyway, so let him continue (Rich) but both warns Rwanda of worst consequences (sic) . None of them recognize tbe original sin ( flawed elections) and its consequences in international and domestic politics. None of them exept Congoman who through MaiMai, that we suppose can represent population, propose a total shift of Kabila position toward his own people.

DRC is not Rwanda, Kagame has rigged his election, ok, but he has built a strong international backing (that is faltering now), he created a true army, without mercenaries, with soldiers ready to die (even if it is monk ethnic) and mostly in this mediocre Africa, he reflected a model of success. At least for one African country one can say that aid money is doing what it is supposed to do, bring people out of poverty and not disapear in people's pocket. The fact that this aid mostly uplifted tutsi or that he was one of the worst dictator ever was forgotten because of the image he projected.

DRC does not have this chance, Kabila cannot take Kagame example and think that he can get away. First he has nothing to show up, he embezzle mining money, harass companies operating in DRC, snubb western embassador (just heard that now he is looking US ambassador in Kinshasafor talks), he thought that China would protect him. Also the Congolese population is a lot more ethnically diverse than the Rwandese one. You need to connect to them.

Seeing Congolese diaspora living in democratic countries who every electoral cycle see alternance and its benefit and who do not want to use that for their own country, its heart breaking.

KABILA has called for a national dialogue, I hope he is serious. No help will come from anywhere except from Congo.

Rich said...

Blaise -

Thanks for your comments, I read them carefully as usual and I do agree with many things you have said. I'm personally invested in trying to find out more about the treatment of our troops engaged in operations in N-Kivu.

With regards to defections, I don't think the officers defecting the national army are right to attack the country in the way M23 is doing regardless of them being paid or not.

I have posted the link to the entire interview.

PK -

When I say who never rated JK, I don't mean to say "they wont fight for their home". I simply mean, it will be surprising if not illogical to see them posting positive comments regarding the current situation in DRC.

That said, I'm sorry if you are disappointed by comment but that wasn't my intent.

Rich

Anonymous said...

UN,Belgium,US legacy in Congo, notice that the traitors were Katangists,to hand over their fellow citizen:

http://youtu.be/If-DQoB1CrU

Anonymous said...

All along, we knew that elderly Tshisekedi would collude with aggressors:
http://www.afroamerica.net/AfricaGL/2012/07/27/m23-to-reorganize-after-taking-masisi-general-lafontaine-to-become-overall-commander/

Anonymous said...

@congman.Even God helps those who help themselves.Dont ever lie to yourself that there is any country be it big or small that will come to congo to help you while you congolese sit on your asses doing northing.
The so countries you think will help you will do so with the help of Rwanda.The western countries interests in the region are purely business and they will need Rwanda as a corridor.So I suggest that you get off your ass and get to work

Anonymous said...

I have just read Rwanda's response to the UN report thanks to Jason's twitter and I can say that Im deepely disappointed in the UN Group of Experts expertism.How could they produce full of allegations and think that there were no answers to those allegations.All along I thought it was an exhausted well researched but I was wrong.Either they dont care or they had poor sources-How could our own army fail to know the kinds of armunitions they have in their own armouries and Instead provided them to UN Experts that they were supplied to M23 by Rwanda yet they are on the Congolese arms Inventory really?
They take a picture of house of someone called MUTAGANDA and instead call it NTAGANDA's house? And why did they not provide supporting documents like tittle's to prove that it was actually Gen Ntaganda's house just like the Rwanda governments did? who are we supposed to believe in this case the one who provides proof to his argument or the one who accuses and doesnt provide us with proof.
The radio frequences which they claimed they intercepted are all wrong.
Every one thinks can just come here in Congo and feign simpathy for congo write a report just to keep his job and get away.Obviously these UN Group of experts knew that their allegations would not be proven but they did anyway just make us feel like they care about us.
Our problems in the Congo can only be felt by the person who lives it every day.

congo man said...

@ PK
I am not a KABILA or a Chisekedi supporter,I have said it here many times,this is a military invasion and it has to be solved militarily no mater what ,and if KABILA can't deliver that military victory ,someone else shall take Charge . I am very disturbed with Kabila's silence and I think he has made many mistakes and many good decisions, unlike you I am not a fun of CHISEKEDI, I am amongst the millions of Congolese who thinks that the Guy is too Radical and his time has passed. I like pragmatism and hate extremism.
That's the reason why I like brothers like Blaise ,Rich,mwanacongo,...even though they do not agree most of the times,I stil see them as very pragmatic Congolese who have a strong love and passion for that Country. Like blaise said,to me both KABILA and CHICHI means nothing and i am not going to seat here talking about the election,or spinning propaganda on Chichi or Jk s favor .to me that election is history and even though some people just can't move on ,I think the majority of the Country has long moved on. To me a power sharing government is not going to change anything ,a power sharing government between CHICI,KAMERHE ,KABILA,KENGO ,KASHALA or any other Congolese politicians is not going to stop KAGAME and MUSEVENI from pursuing their criminal plan of destabilizing and plundering our minerals. The coalition government that you are talking about will only bring CHICHI ,KAMERHE or KENGOs friends to power but it's not going to change nothing.there is no civil war or internal conflicts in Congo like Kagame and his people would like you to believe.we are dealing with an external military invasion,by RWANDA and UGANDA and that's the priority now. It sims like there are certain people amongst us, who prefer people to just ignore KAGAME and MUSEVENI's criminal activitie in our Country,but instead talking about Chosekedi or The election. I think those people shall just tel US on whose side they are,or they are on the KAGAME's side or on the Congolese peoples side.they can't be on both.

Anonymous said...

http://www.dvidshub.net/news/92325/east-africa-us-militaries-exchange-skills#.UBXCY2F8D84

US Army training African armies, there seems to be a competition between European Armies, US Armies,Chinese,Russian armies all battling to train African armies.

Isn't that interesting that India gets to have nuclear weapons....,Saudi Arabia gets to shop for high tech arms...and some are told:'please don't militarize your country...'

Anonymous said...

paragraph taken from an article on the following link:

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/06/korb_uganda.html

One day we visited the Ugandan army’s Peace Support Operations Training Center in Kakola, about 75 miles north of Kampala. During this visit we observed Ugandan soldiers undergoing training for the mission to war-torn Somalia, where the African Union is expanding the size of the mission to some 18,000 troops. We watched simulations of how approximately 3,500 Ugandan soldiers would respond to enemy attacks on their convoys and foot patrols while on missions similar to the one in Somalia. Those soldiers about to be deployed held combat drills supervised by U.S. (private contractors from Military Professional Resources Inc.), French, and Belgian military instructors. We learned that the training center has so far trained 10 Ugandan battle groups, seven of which have already been deployed to Somalia.

Anonymous said...

Ba demulu vantars bazo supporter ba Rwandais lisusu .koko chisekeji wa mulumba na Azarias Ruberwa ba trahir ba congolais .

Anonymous said...

The people on the ground are taking matters into their own hands. They already know that nothing will come out of the trio (kabila, kagame, museveni) but blood and this time they are determined. Kagame and a few tutsi folks think that military power is the way to go. when it will blow out, no one will be able to contain it. The UN, a long with the western powers, will be blamed, Museveni will keep the oil to himself, Kagame will keep the Coltan and other minerals. The little tutsis on the street will still pay the price, the hutus and other ethnic groups will not let these folks walk over them. just to give you a quick picture. That is why Kagame and Museveni military plans must be stopped. The human cost is beyond the imagination. The will create a nice disturbance area. Southern Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and do not forget that Somalia is not far. A vacuum has to be filled with something most of the time it is the worst. The blame game worked before with the rwandan genocide. Clinton and Blair think that they owe something to the Kagames because the genocide happened under their watch and Kagame has been capitalizing on it at every occasion.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like some folks in the US diplomacy have not learned the lesson with arming and training groups of people. They usually turn against the original purpose. We have seen that in Afganistan, Irak, and other places. Shifting powers, especially among tribal and ethnic groups is usually chaotic. Balance must be maintained while trying to achieve the mission on hand. That is what we are witnessing in these parts of Africa. Giving tutsis guns made the other groups so vulnerable that they now believe that getting guns of their own will keep the others at bay. When a regional force must be created, these powers of the make sure that all or most groups are represented to keep the balance once they live. In Irak, crushing the Sunies gave rise to the Chiites, therefore Iran rose as well. Restoring the balance is not that simple. The same logic applies to Africa in some extent.

Anonymous said...

@ Bismarck,
It's also good to read you again in this blog.

I think it's high time we introduce some voting system in this blog to elect the most brilliant piece!

And My vote goes to PK's !

@ PK : myriad thanks for treating us (on 28 Jul at 3:06 am and 3:17 am) to the best Congo siasa blog since the beginning of the year! You brightened my face and made me again feel confident about my own people. I deliberately stayed mum for months in Congo siasa, but this post of yours gave me tremendous fodder for reflection.

@ Rich:
I'd just be curious to know what you think about this comment:
"Kagame needs this war to maintain his grip on the Kivus, Kabila needs this war to divert attention from his legitimacy shortfall and earn 'bipartisan' support from the Congolese"...

Do you not sense that contrary to prima facie observations, Kabila is actually very happy about what's happening in North Kivu as it gives me the opportunity to pose as the commander-in-chief, the "father of the nation in danger"? Just a thought-provoking query....

Bruno

Anonymous said...

Julian Assange, the ordinary Guy who shook the minds of Global citizens, and surprised the World super elite and super power Countries:

http://youtu.be/i85fX9-sKYo

Anonymous said...

Nothern Ivory Coast is technically partitioned by the world super powers, the puppet leader (former IMF Executive) was helped to come to power by France,UN Forces, Northerners of Ivory Coast claimed they were marginalised by the Ivory Coast government,starting with Ivory Coast President Bedie (he introduced l'ivoirite, a law on citizenship):

http://youtu.be/ZZkuL92qGQw

If you look at it in terms of conspiracy theories, you would believe that western powers have brought to power Ouattara to control West Africa untapped oil reserves and other mineral resources.

Anonymous said...

The president Kagame is not involved in problems of Congolese. The war of Eastern Congo is only for Congolese. Kabila needs to earn the confidence of all Congolese by initiating and maintaining the war.
One question for all Congolese, why Kabila doesn't want to hear the problem of population of East of Congo? If he prefers war instead of solving problems from their roots, conflicts will not finish in that part of Congo. Congoles open your eyes, look forwar on how others countries are doing best to develop their citizen.

Anonymous said...

Why isnt anybody commenting on Rwanda's response to the allegations.Do you not care or is because it has hammered directly to heart of the UN experts report.
What an embarassment the UN experts have been made.

Anonymous said...

While you are expressing you anger on Rwanda, you are overlooking Kabila and his men in Kinshasa. Kabila has acted as a fith column and given everything to M23. On the frontline, his soldiers are dying of hunger while he is boasting himself for "his achievements".

http://alexengwete.blogspot.be/2012/07/scandal-at-rwindi-fardc-troops-go.html

Anonymous said...

@PK, me too I want to thank you. You have said so many things in so little word.

We are many thinking like you, we might be the least vocal, but we are there. I recognize myself amongst congolese discouraged to get back home because horizon are so dark there.

We are there, shining in US and Europe but our soul is back home and seeing our country so poorly managed and now being sold by Kabila and company, we are devasted.

Our nation will rise and Kabila must leave us being comfortable home.

blaise said...

@ ano JULY 30, 2012 4:54 AM,
not really, it's an answer putting forward plausible scenarios.As good as hypothetical as GoE report.Will get back to u with more latter.

Anonymous said...

Kagame and Chichi supporters are now using the same words. Now that Kabila has spoken we want chisekedi also to speak and tell the people that he is not supporting the m23.

Anonymous said...

Anonym you are still defending Kabila after all you read in this blog and the info you follow?

Quick analysis of Kabila speach: We have some problems with army and we are fixint it..... Really, little problems. With tanks and soldiers stopping offensive because lacking amo. Soldiers fighting for 4days without being fed. (How many days Kabila spend without eating while not doing anything for thjs country) We dont need Kabila to speak, we need Kabila to act. That means : Paying soldiers salaries, Removing head of army logistics, head of staff and others incompetent and mostly remove traitors.

Have been told that Rwandan battalion based in Rutshuru never left and is the one fighting in Kibumba.

Even if Thisekedi say, what power does he have? And his "combattant" have made it clear that for them M23=Kabila=Kagame.

Anonymous said...

Rich, based on what is happening in the ground, what will you respond to those accusing Kabila of incompetenfe at best or being a fifth column leading congo to abyss. At worst. Knowing that Kabila negotiated alone the cndp / Rwanda 2009 deal alone.

I would really like to hear the other side of the story.

And mostly I would want to know, you as a Congolese beyond your loyalty to Kabila how do you feel about all of this political situation ensuing from the worst election of the continent ( according to one carter fundation observer) was it worth it to do all of this for just maintaining power ?

I was in Kinshasa and all open mic radio station were given the voice to angry citizens complaining about their choice not being respected and the thiefs in parliements, the only ones supporting gov where MP leaders like Francis Kalombo who i was hearing often in radios. All and I say all congolese i talked with from oposition to MP are agreeing that these elections were rigged theyvwere just disagreeing on the representativity of the outcome.
What do you say about that?

Curious observer.

Anonymous said...

State Department Says Obama Official Misquoted on Rwanda
Last week the Guardian quoted the head of the U.S. Office of Global Criminal Justice, Stephen Rapp, saying that the president of Rwanda may be tried for possible war crimes in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The story was puzzling for several reasons. Neither Rwanda nor the United States is a member of the ICC, established in 2002 as a permanent war crimes tribunal.
A phone call and email to the press office at the Department of State revealed that the Guardian misquoted Rapp and took comments completely out of context -- a mistake that the Guardian has yet to correct.

A senior State Department Official provided the following in an email:

In his Guardian interview, Ambassador Rapp sought to underscore the importance of holding to account those responsible for crimes against humanity, noting as a general principle that neighboring countries have been held responsible in the past for cross-border support to armed groups. He was not calling for any specific prosecutions in this case. Unfortunately, the erroneous suggestion by the British press that Rapp was calling for the specific prosecution of Paul Kagame was immediately picked up by world media and subsequently used by anti-Rwanda hate groups and lobbying organizations calling for the United States to pull back funding. In a token gesture, the US had pulled $200,000 in funding for the end of fiscal year 2012, but the funding will immediately kick in again in October 2013. The Netherlands followed suit after the Guardian article and suspended 6 million USD in aid.
The monetary amount is inconsequential except in the arena of public opinion, and public opinion is easily manipulated in this day of immediate response and rumor mongering by social media.
As reported by Voice of America, Rwanda went through a United Nations report on arms smuggling "line by line" at a meeting with the Group of Experts who prepared the report. Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said Rwanda submitted a counter argument to the Security Council on Friday. The final report by the group of Experts is due later this year, but press leaks and lobbying by anti-Rwanda and anti-Tutsi hate groups have fanned discontent. Rumors are rampant on social media that Rwanda has been abandoned by the United States, its strong ally since the 1994 genocide.
Rwanda is not a perfect country and neither is any country in Africa or the western world for that matter. You can examine the conflict in Syria, the Israel/Palestine quagmire, or US actions in Iraq and Afghanistan and make arguments and counter arguments for placement of blame and whether atrocities occurred.

Personally, I believe the current conflict in DRCongo will become the historical poster child for media bias, distortions, under-reporting and outright lies that have contributed to hate speech in social media and an escalation of a conflict that could have been resolved at the beginning by negotiation and implementation of the 2009 Goma Peace Accord.

Anonymous said...

In her July 26 daily press briefing Victoria Nuland was asked about Rwandan support for M23.

Her response: "Well, we obviously have information of our own which we share with the UN as well. But the UN report, in our view, is quite comprehensive and quite concerning."

With the resources devoted to the build-up in American intelligence gathering capabilities over the past decade, it seems unlikely that American policy decisions would be based on a single report.

Anonymous said...

Ohh dear..dear, criminal Kagame's crew never seize to amaze me!!

Kagame's apologists should be reminded that ICC can try Rwanda rapists, murderers, pillagers, and warmongers, that have turned Congo into their fiefdom.

Quotinng from http://rwandinfo.com

"A French court on Wednesday ordered the extradition of a Rwandan rebel leader to the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of raping and killing civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The rebel, Callixte Mbarushimana, was arrested in Paris in October on a warrant from the international court, which has charged him with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. "

Yes ICC can try Rwanda citizens, be it FDLR or RDF!!!!!!!!!!

Whatever the U.S. Office of Global Criminal Justice, Stephen Rapp said or did not say, Kagame's destination is the ICC.

Rutshuru/London

Anonymous said...

You guy, keep in your mind that developed countries are forced Kigali to agree what it doesn't do, to support M23. This is the second kind of colonialism. All Rwandan people should say no to facts done by developed countries. You should accept to live in your poverty instead of be insulting by reach countries.

Anonymous said...

@July 31, 2012 2:44 AM,
Your wish list is just too long to be satisfied... Kagame's place is in Rwanda, not somewhere in Europe. There is a saying that every people has a leader they deserve. Whatever critics you make of your president, he is the one you deserve. I remember 6 months ago, all of you were up in flames swearing to take arms and fighting against him because he rigged the elections; now came in the M23 and Rwanda; Kabilists on this blog and other social media are trying to divert the attention and convince Congolese of a threat over their country's sovereignty ; the poor " LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT "Tshisekedi doesn't know how to deal simultaneously with the " ILLEGITIMATE PRESIDENT" and the M23 rebels. So he just decided to keep quite and see how the winds move. Leaders do not follow, they lead even if that means taking big risks. But in DR Congo it works the other way round. So rest assured, 3 months down the road, M23 will be greeted as heroes in Kisangani, Bunia, Bukavu, Gbadolite, ... and even Kinshasa, why not?

Anonymous said...

Jason Stearns,
What's that about Khartoum mediating on DRC? So, Bashir ICC indicted is still involved in the Great Lakes? shocking double standards!So,yesterday Khartoum's regime was trained by CIA in the fight against terror, Khartoum's was viewed as 'eyes and ears' on islamist fundamentalists, is Khartoum now being sought as peace mediators as in Syria?

blaise said...

@ ano JULY 31, 2012 12:00 AM,
I don't think that the RDF will have agree to the term of the 2009 so called peace agreement given that the FDLR was the protagonist. If you read this agreement, you will realize first that a lot of points agreed upon were either the competence exclusive of the Parliament(autonomy of provinces) or the judiciary.
And honestly, the government went against public opinion and redeployed ex cndp from Beni to south Kivu, that's more territories they ever "conquered".Makenga was the head of ops, if I'm not mistaken,in south Kivu.There was tensions in the army because ex cndp seems to be better treated than the rest.The responsible of national logistics is ex cndp
So : they have keys positions,controlled a large sway of territories, tripartite commission was working to get the refugees back. What else they want?To all be generals?
Can you honestly call us xenophobic?Is not those who only sees the advantages of their community above any national considerations instead being call xenophobic?
If we want to solve this mess in the East, we have to start by telling the truth,accept our mistakes then we can move on.
IC is not a gathering of friends, it's the jungle, you are complaining today for things we've been victims for years.That's how lives go.

Anonymous said...

This blog has become boring. It is now one sided, with the proponent of the "kabila traitor" speaking. I am also very interrsted in what @Rich would say. He is the most inteligent of the pro Kabila.

Please react with a well thought answer.

Anonymous said...

Dear Blaise, don't embezzle individuals. From the agreements DRC government and CNDP representatives signed on 23rd March 2009, there are about 19 points that the government of Kabila should accomplish in 3 months unfortunately no point has been done . Now we are are at the end of 3 years from the agreements signed. We should be serious on what we agree to do. When M23 is claiming his rights, the pro Kabila is broadcasting xenophoby to Rwandophone. This is a big error and soon Kabila will pay. So, please be good use this blog to advise Kabila and his team to be careful on what they are doing.

blaise said...

Can u tell me what are those points and how they are supposed to be implement?From the document I read, Kabila gov did at least something.Beside,they seems to be better supplied than the regular troops.How do you explain that without implicating Rwanda?
How about the Cndp own engagements?So the only way to claim their"rights" was by a mutiny?

blaise said...

Here is Mende's reply to Rwanda's report
http://www.groupelavenir.cd/spip.php?article46560
Right clicking on your mouse will generate a dialogue box with a translation tool

Anonymous said...

Blaise,
find out here how the M23 are being supplied:

http://www.chimpreports.com/index.php/news/news-as-it-happens-around-the-east-african-region/4960-congo-uganda-calls-crisis-meeting-as-kabila-commandos-move-to-goma.html


Just a quote from that article read:

.." During the fighting, rebels seized a battle tank T-73, 106 -12, 2 guns tubes, anti-tank guns (SPG), 82 mm mortars, 60 mm mortars, 102mm mortars, 12 mm guns, military vehicles, a large stock of food, military and other logistics that could enable them to sustain attacks for several weeks and defend themselves against Congolese tanks and aircraft."

This was just a one day trophy. You can guess what they found in Rumangabo, Kiwanja ,etc. I read a tweet from Jason Stearn that the choppers are being moved from Goma to Bukavu; FARDC should also move all their heavy artillery from the front line and only keep what they can carry while running from M23.This is the only way to cut supplies from the rebels.

blaise said...

I'm not taliking about that, i'm talking about their food,generators and all those things the Fardc seems to lack. Doesn't appear curious to you? How much u want to bet they won't even use that tank? Just do the math: they have to move with their equipment and those left out by the fardc, all that without troops transport? Let's be realistic, those "trophies" are good for propaganda.

blaise said...

It's curious that the M23 found all these while the Fardc are complaining for lack of foods and ammo.There is some misinformation in play here.

Anonymous said...

Blaise,
I am giving facts; the kind of assumptions you are suggesting led the UN group of Experts into wrong conclusions. There is a lot of distortion of truth going on in the Eastern Congo hence complicating the crisis; some organizations are already becoming very suspicious about what info the traditional "independent sources" are giving them; the civil society in Congo has become too much polarized and infiltrated by ANR agents. Do not be surprised in few weeks to read an updated version of the report completely exonerating Rwanda;

Anonymous said...

Ano 8:15 Your facts are very one sided. During Bunagana attack, did FARDC left some amo or even soldiers that allowed M23 to mkve from 600 to more than 2000. Element you are refering to, first arrived late in the chronology and second cannot explain the serious fire power that M23 has acquiered in less than one week. Besid we wont talk about the manning power to use them so efficiently. Child forced enrollment within drc soil started quite late. Again M23 does not allow access to the people manning heavy weapons, and most of these people only speak english and kyniarwanda.....they only display light mortar carriers.

Again most of these spectacular capture were actually used for propaganda. One tank, 3 multiple launch tube wont definitively change the course of the war.

Rwanda heavily supported M23, when on the ground there is no doubt about that.

Patrick said...

I have to side with Blaise on this one. There seems to be a lot of smoke screens going on. There is no logical explanation for the sudden rise in M23 recruits (3000+ soldiers). There is no convincing explanation for the sudden increase in fire power either: all this from a movement that was on the backfoot a few weeks ago. I can accept the fact that the FARDC are incompetent at times but I do not believe for a second that the sudden improvement of M23 on the battlefields has to do with their reorganisation: The UPDF and RDF are doing the fighting and using old lies to help their ally:
- disenchanted congolese soldiers and youths are joining the M23
- M23 is getting all the weapons and ammo it needs from the fleeing FARDC
.....um, this exactly what JP Bemba used to say, when in actual facts he received most of his weaponry and some foot soldiers from Uganda !!
Now Rwanda is even calling on all Africans to unite against the evil Western countries that have cut their budgetary support to end the scourge of dependency and poverty....why not start by championing peace and prosperity with your neighbours ?

blaise said...

why will the Fardc have SPG? RPG is more logical since the M23 doesn't have tanks. Beside, your facts come from the chimpreports, an Ugandan's reporter, at the end of his article he suggested that "observers" thinks that unless the East is partitioned and the Fdlr are annihilated,there will be no peace. Which observers thinks like that?Not Congolese.
You should read this analysis as well :
http://digitaldjeli.com/2012/drc-rwanda-responds-to-accusations-as-aid-get-halted/

Contrary to what min Mushikwabo said in her masterfully demonstration, there was no line by line correction.Rwanda advance it's theories that are as good as those from the Goe.

blaise said...

So all those western countries just relayed on a reports of 5 quidams they don't control to act? Don't think that's the way things works.

Anonymous said...

chimpreports.com, is registered under the names of Bob Muheebwa-chief accountant of the Uganda Red Pepper tabloid.
However, the real owners are the Uganda Redpepper, run by Uganda security operatives.
For the last 6 months,Criminal Kagame has been funding it.
While in Kigali,their chief journalist, Rugyendo Arinaitwe spends nights at Criminal Kagame's residence.

Rutshuru/London

Anonymous said...

http://www.chimpreports.com/index.php/people/4051-breaking%3A-red-pepper%E2%80%99s-rugyendo-wins-top-african-leadership-award.html

Anonymous said...

@ PK
Thanks for your enlightening posts, I join the people on this blog who were touched by your pertinent and to the point analysis of the DRC tragedy. As for your recommendations to JK, only a true statesman(” un grand homme d’etat ”), something that JK is not by any measure judging his track record, would go the route that you have suggested. Your recommendations would lead JK to lose his grip on power and prevent him from dealing with the mafia that is holding the DRC hostage.This is something he is not prepared to do even if the North East of the DRC is to become Rwandese in my opinion.
@ Blaise
Again kudos for been so present on Congo Siasa, your documentation in support of your arguments is very much appreciated as it keep “les embrouilleurs et les agitateurs” in check.
…. “ As things stand right now, despite all the diplomatic setbacks and international criticisms his country has been weathering of late, President Paul Kagame should pop the cork on that bottle of expensive champagne and celebrate.
For Kagame has achieved the main objective of his new war on the Congo.

As Baron Carl von Clausewitz has it: "War is [...] an act of force to
compel our enemy to do our will."
And Kinshasa seems to be doing the bidding of Kigali…” by Mr Engwete

I will add to this that this is nothing new and that this has been going on for the past 11 years with JK the Trojan horse as head of the armed forces of the DRC. It is not Mobutists, CHICHI, BALUBAS per some disjointed comments by an anonymous tribalist,lunatic on this blog who fails to see that the curse of the DRC is incarnated by one JK. This guy has been incorporating Rwandese officers in the armed forces of the DRC for over 10 years. How can any one with common sense blame CHICHI, MOBUTISTS,BALUBAS all in one sentence for actions taken solely by JK and his cronies. This is what the French call “le monde a l’envers”. This is symptomatic of most of JK lovers who when presented with the color red for example, will call it bleu in a twisted act of intellectual gymnastics.

Bismark

Anonymous said...

Blaise and Cie,

The arms displayed by M23 in Rutshuru Bunagana, etc, was done in presence of different media professionals including BBC, FRANCE 24,Aljaazira ...; There are a lot of other sources to attest this apart from the link I provided; look at this one of France 24:
http://www.france24.com/en/20120715-congo-exclusive-deja-vu-perpetual-cycle-violence-african-union-rebels-duncan-woodside.
Duncan WOODSIDE gives this account:
"The next day they invited me, along with several other journalists, on a tour of captured positions, including a Congolese army base, where supposedly elite troops left behind huge piles of munitions in their race to flee the rebel advance.
The mutineers took great joy in showing off their unexpected haul, which includes automatic weapons, ammunition, rocket propelled grenade launchers and anti-aircraft guns.
They gleefully mocked their enemy. "[Congo’s President Joseph] Kabila is our chief logistician," joked rebel spokesman Vianney Kazarama, before snorting “they call themselves an army!” while holding a commando’s rope and poking fun at the Belgian-trained 42nd battalion, which had disgraced itself by fleeing across the border into Uganda the day before. "
I am sure you will find other excuses to deny the evident. For your information, Belgium drones are actively involved in aerial surveillance of the border between RWANDA and DRC. For the past 2 months, they are really trying hard to find any physical evidence of support coming from Rwanda with no success. That is why you saw those nonsense from Omar Kavota(by the way there are evidence he is on government of DRC payroll) about UPDF involvement. The machination prepared by Kabila and his agents in the KIVUS is being uncovered. Next time when Gbadolite or Mbandaka fall, Congo BRAZA or Central African republic will be your next targets.

Patrick said...

@anon 12:59
As you seem well informed, it would be nice to have some serial numbers of these weapons. It will then be very easy to cross check with the Congolese stock !!
Maybe you should read again Colette Braeckman's blog dated 06/07/2012 where she mentions these very Belgian drones ....that haven't been in use for sometime.....strangely in your comments "Belgium drones are actively involved in aerial surveillance" for the past 2 months.
I don't make any excuses for Congo's leadership shortcomings. Looking at recent history in the region, I notice that:
- Rwanda (or Uganda) first lies about its involvement in the Congo, then admits it under the old pretence of pursuing genocidaires, rebels, anything
- level of violence experienced in the DRC in the past 15 years has been fuelled foreign countries.

Anonymous said...

As expected, Patrick,Blaise and the Rutshuru/London guy managed to find other irrelevant arguments, despite overwhelming evidence DRC government is arming and supplying logistics to M23 rebels.
As for reinforcement of combating forces, M23 is heavily drawing them from FARDC. I think I do not need to provide sources to convince you about defecting senior officers taking whole companies with them. Do you think it is by good will that Kabila is starting to open up and accept negotiations with M23( though they are playing with words, evaluations versus negotiations)? Why do you think the front line suddenly became quite over the weekend? There is a shift in the perception regarding the current crisis in North Kivu. Western diplomats in Kinshasa, Kigali and Kampala are having different reading of events than it was 2 or 3 weeks ago. They have understood the misinformation going on; there is one small European country who wanted to drag the rest into this mess; that country is the one whose foreign affairs minister attended Kabila's swearing ceremony despite the evidence of rigging coming from all corners; he went on to tell the media that he agreed with Kabila that Gen Ntaganda is soon to be arrested; he knew what he was doing: he was telling Ntaganda to do what he had to do as a soldier: FIGHT FOR HIS SURVIVAL. He also knew that things will be where they are now; and guess what? he is coming back next month to mediate between Rwanda and DR Congo.They must be making jokes of both our leaders. But the good news is that the US Secretary of State will be in Kampala Thursday and this will signal that US will be involved at the highest level in resolving the current crisis in Eastern Congo; up to now, things were handled by junior staff in the State dpt and their Monusco friends.

Anonymous said...

Problem ya BALUBA (demulu ventars)eza nini? Baluba bakomi penza tina te,Bo tala ndenge muluba oyo Bismark na ba ndeko naye bazo supporter ba rwandais, muluba na tuchi bakomi mutu moko. mawa ee

Anonymous said...

This is just coming in from New York:
http://www.rnw.nl/africa/bulletin/dr-congo-troops-abandon-villages-rebels-envoys

Anonymous said...

@ All

In fairness to all who read and post in English on Jason's blog,can anyone translate for us what is written by Anonymous July 31,2012 2:57
As one who follows this blog on a regular basis, It would be nice to know what is been said as the only word I can make out of the posting by
Anonymous July 31,2012 2:57 is Bismark.
By the way, what is the point of posting a comment that none one can read in English unles one is English deficient or can not write in English. If that is the case please hire a translator or take some English 101 classes.

Anonymous said...

I could not agree more with the commentor from July 31 2012 3:51pm.

Stearns is an American, this is an American blog about the Congo, Americans speak in English, and blog posts should be in English.

Incredibly annoying to read posts in languages other than my nation's mother tongue.

Its totally fine if you want to curse all Americans to the depths of hell.

Do it in English, folks.

congo man said...

There is nothing new in that Rwandan response,everyone was already expecting that kind of response from KIGALI and no one expected KAGAME to come clean and admit his meddling in the DRC . The evidence against Rwanda is very overwhelming and that's the reason why it took them a long time to respond. It was funny to see LOUS MUSHIKIWABO playing the PANAFRICANISME game in the NAIROBI conference in order to get the support of the same AFRICANS that her and her boss PAUL KAGAME have been treating like inferiors for the last 18 years. (we are the best leaders in Africa,we are the African Singapore,our country is not corrupt like all those ether African Countries,bla bla ,bla...)Now KAGAME is the new MUGABE .lol.maybe he thinks that by being both a SADAM HUSEIN and MUGABE he will be able to weather the SUNAMI that is moving his way from the north.
The m23 is a domed movement,they might score some military victories in Bunagana or Kiwanja but they are not going to reach Goma or Bukavu and soon they will be dislodged from Bunagana and elsewhere. KAGAME needs to pull his troops out of the DRC, disarm his M23 terrorists,deliver BOSCO NTAGANDA to the ICC ,start real reconciliation in Rwanda ,and repair ties the DRC before it's too late .

Anonymous said...

@ July 31, 2012 3:51 PM
@ July 31, 2012 6:01 PM

You are entirely right here, this person is either incapable of writing in English or is simply another one of the one dimensional JK lovers who are incapable of defending him with facts in English on Congo Siasa. Get you own blog in your own language and stop polluting somebody else blog with gibberish.

Can anyone translate please???

Bismark

Anonymous said...

@Bismarck, Blaise, Bruno, anonymous and all

Thank for your appreciation of my post, however. Have just been saying what most of you and others compatriots are saying. There are congolese who love this country and who sees a very different path for its future than the path that Kabila is leading us in. I also know that many Kabila supporters and working with him read this blog. I hope that analysis they read are showing them irresponsibility of their politics and that every each of them at his own level will start to work for the country, like these soldiers who even without being fed for 4days still fight for their countrymes. our leaders should be at the same level of dedication and if Kabila is unable to do that, it is more than time to all the true congolese around him start turn the tide, they won't have any excuses.

Regarding the situation, the military situation is extremely bad, FARDc are basically besieged in Coma, their back on Rwanda and facing M23/RDF in Kibumba. With UPDF assuring rear logistics.

Also read the 28 Rwanda responses, there are interesting points like the Radio,or expert in meeting with a person supposed to not be there. But these might be the only points that can raise suspicions and even the Radio point is not convincing. RDF does not have only one type of radio that it uses. They have military grade radio and normal radio depending on the level of confidentiality and plausible deniability they want to have.

The testimony part of Rwanda report is a soap opera scenario, with Rwanda officials begging M23 rebel to surrender to FARDc officials but not MoNUSCo, with James being the gentle soul giving morale lessons to Rebels and spending his time calling Kinshasa to warn them of the M23 attack. I am sure they have been laughing while writing it. I have not seen annexes and waiting for them. However everyone knows that Rwanda is involved, Uganda involvement is just surfacing now and I don't think that Clinton is coming to cuddle Kagame and Museveni.

This DrC Rwanda/Uganda rebellion is a mess for the USA and all donors. They are starting to understand that by turning a blind eye on Kagame prowess and bankrolling him they have created a monster for the great lakes and an embarrassment for themselves. The suffrances pouring out in tv screens every day is just non understandable. Most of African countries and mostly the one that counts the most South Africa and Sadc are also tired or Rwanda bully behaviour.

The problem is that despite international presure, on the ground Rwanda , with Uganda keeping its rear and thanks to Kabila military skils,is in a very strong position to push for another treaty that Kabila will again negotiate himself, for the good of the nation.

From what I heard the national dialogue will not take place and opposition bullying and intimidation will continue... To those who have.....

PK

Anonymous said...

@ PK

Thanks for your illuminating posts. "This DRC Rwanda/Uganda rebellion is a mess for the USA and all donors" is a point not lost on American readers of Congo Siasa.

I have a question related to Congolese domestic politics regarding the role played by Antoine Gizenga and PALU in turning the tide in both the 2006 and 2011 presidential elections...I'm finding it difficult to reconcile his support for Kabila with accusations that frequently appear on this blog that J Kabila is a "fifth columnist" or "trojan horse" etc.

Criticizing government ineptitude is a vital part of the democratic process...disparaging Kabila's patriotism seems to cross another threshold altogether.

If a pere fondateur like Gizenga leveled those kinds of charges they might be more persuasive.

Bruce

Anonymous said...

For more insight on the changes happening on the ground in the east, read this from Alex Engwete:
http://alexengwete.blogspot.fr/2012/07/drc-government-as-wordsmith-diplomatic.html

Patrick said...

@anon 2:47 AM.
It would be nice to have a name to attach to all these comments !!
I repeat once and for all: defections from the FARDC and equipments abandoned on the ground don't explain the significant increase in fire power and numbers. So much so that M23 is now better equiped than the FARDC....please. Next time that M23 attacks with helicopter, you will have us believe that they got both aircraft and pilots from the Congolese army.
Different perception of events, I suspect we haven't been living in the same planet.... or maybe its just like the Belgian drones involve in aerial surveillance for the the past 2 months. Having spent some time in the DRC, I know for a fact that western countries coordinate their actions/statements with regard to DRC. They probably have more compelling evidence of Ugandan/Rwandan actions in Eastern Congo than what has made headlines; just remember the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Believe me, when the USA decides to apply serious pressure on Uganda/Rwanda, M23 will disappear as quickly as it came. Maybe then, you will stop denying the obvious.

Anonymous said...

@Bruce

What else do you need as proof that Kabila is a trojan horse?

1) Who removed General Mbuja Mabe from duty after his success against CNDP in Su-outh Kivu?
2) Who orchestrated the "battle of Mushaki" where tanks, ammunition including sol aircraft missiles were handed to CNDP?
3) Who negotiated secretly the deal allowing the presence of Rwandan troops in Congo
4) Who removed the Speaker of parliament when he criticized this unconstitutional move?
5) Who does his best to disorganize the army (i.e: not paying them, not supplying them during war)?
On and on?

I hope you do not belong to that clique of congolese around Kabila who say of the Kivu people in a typical swahili:
"Bote ni balundji"

Anonymous said...

Top Conga FM bbm bulletin
Inquiétudes à Goma, l'ONU veut faire pression sur les soutiens du M23.

Goma est menacée, les rebelles et leurs soutiens rwandais ont commencé à encercler la ville "qui ne va pas tomber", a dit à TOP CONGO FM, le colonel Célestin Ngeleka, porte-parole au Nord-Kivu des FARDC.

Le conseil de sécurité de l'ONU, qui s'est saisi de la question, veut aujourd'hui faire pression sur les soutiens des rebelles.

Dans un rapport fait au Conseil de sécurité, Roger Meece indique que "les troupes gouvernementales manquent de munitions et abandonnent des villages au M23..., mieux équipé et dont les effectifs ont augmenté depuis quelques semaines".
Selon le représentant spécial du secrétaire général de l'ONU en RDC, "les FARDC ne sont plus en mesure de résister à l'avancée du M23".

Rwanda et Ouganda sont montrés du doigt.
Le Rwanda, malgré les évidences continuent de démentir.
L'Ouganda, par l'adjoint de son ministre des affaires étrangères, a déclaré n'avoir "aucun intérêt à participer à ce conflit".
Kampala, qui s'apprête à accueillir les 6 et 7 août un sommet des grands lacs, dit ne souhaiter que "ramener la paix et l'harmonie dans la région".

Le conseil de sécurité discutait hier mardi jusque tard d'une déclaration qui mettrait en garde les rebelles.

Pendant ce temps, en RDC, "pour la paix et face aux menaces de balkanisation du pays", l'église catholique congolaise organise des marches ce 1er aout, jour férié (fête des parents).

BBM TOPCONGO FM

Anonymous said...

this last post shows that
1) Fardc does not have am to leave to M23, theybjust don't have enough for themselves.

2) the treahison of Kabila, PK, Bismarck are right, Kabila is purposefully depriving our army, thus our people, with mean to defend our soil.

We are no more at th building an army stage we are at giving soldiers who are ready to fight amo and food. Even Mayi Mayi are more organized that Kabila national army. That is also our army.

Anonymous said...

I urged all the Mai Mai soldiers to stand up and fight these Rwandans. We cannot have a repeat of 1997

Anonymous said...

@anonymous-AUGUST 1, 2012 1:46 AM

I agree 100%!!
We should have Mai Mai cells everywhere.
In-fact people in Diaspora, you can also create your own Mai Mai cell to resist Rwanda/Uganda propagandists on the web.

Rutshuru/London

Anonymous said...

Ultimately, we will rise and defeat the occupant. I hope that all those who supported Kabila (the trojan horse) since 2006 are now realizing the mess in which he has put us. His sole objective has been to help divide the Congo and regarding this specific pledge, he is delivering.

blaise said...

Mr Pako,a Congolese diplomat, said that Congo has a lot of leaders. Even though we don't agree about who to blame for this mess, it's something that had me thinking.
Maybe the failure is collective since we didn't step in the void. I don't know. I will say like LD Kabila,but for different reasons,let's get organize. Whoever have even the tiniest power in Congo should exercise it to change his/her environment. A little coordination will be nice.Maybe together we can make something happening.

Anonymous said...

Blaise,

The first thing to do is to stop looking for scapegoats; we used to see this working for politicians; but unfortunately for DR Congo, "les garants de la souveraineté nationale" FARDC men and commanders have adopted the same attitude. They will tell people all sort of nonsense to justify why they are fleeing. Yesterday it was Rwandan soldiers, today is lack of ammunition, tomorrow no one knows what they will tell us. By the way,suppose that Rwanda forces are helping the rebels,the question one can ask is why can't FARDC stand and fight against Rwanda defense forces? Contrary to what we were told before, FARDC are the one receiving a lot of support from western nations;
it happens that a senator in Belgium who was not well informed as most of us in the public opinion called for Belgium to stop military support to Rwanda; the response from the ministry of defense was : .."The two (DRC and Rwanda) are not comparable.The Belgian military cooperation with Rwanda is minimal, Belgian aid is to supervise eight Rwandan students at the Royal Military School; military cooperation is much more intense with the Congo where, in particular, whole battalions are trained."

I believe this is another " Aha moment" for most of you, plus the famous 200,000Us$ aid from the US to Rwanda.

The moral of the story is that a country doesn't need billions $$ to mount a formidable army;
source:
http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/1505/Monde/article/detail/1478053/2012/07/30/La-cooperation-militaire-belge-avec-le-Rwanda-est-minime.dhtml

Anonymous said...

exactly, Kabila can explain most of these disastruous situation but as he is still there , we dont have the luxuary to just seat and observe.

Everyone can make a difference. Inside DRC it is difficult because most of the pople benefiting from this situation are in power and create an environment where rising agaist them can become dangerous . For each Diomi, Chebeya, Tungulu, Mokia, there are many anonymuos no name who disapear without trace . I made the tour of the prison in Kinshasa once and you cant imagine the numbe of people arrested just because they said the wrong things at the wrong place victims of zealous member of the regime. That was a visit on official detention center, so i am wondering how many are in secret detention centers..

Still, knowing this situation it is time to get ready and make a difference, if there is a critical mass of serious people, all our crooks will have more and more difficulties.

EVERY CONGOLESE WHOEVER HE IS AND IN WHATEVER POSITION HE OFFICIES, MUST WORK FOR CONGO AND NOT FOR A REGIME.

Anonymous said...

@ august 2012 4:14am
I agree with you 100%, congo need a new leader urgently. We realy need to find a way to get rid of Kabila, he is the main obstecle. I wonder if it's possible for a commander or anyone to ignore the government of Kinshasa and work out a solution to fight the M23 and mobalise support. this is so frustrating

Rich said...

Bruno –

Good to read from you.

Ref # “ I'd just be curious to know what you think about this comment:
"Kagame needs this war to maintain his grip on the Kivus, Kabila needs this war to divert attention from his legitimacy shortfall and earn 'bipartisan' support from the Congolese"...”

I should be more than happy to speculate on ‘very strong’ assumptions but the problem is how do we measure their level of uncertainty?

All I know is kagame has been opened on what he wants from the DRC and according to what he says, though I have major misgivings with what comes out of his mouth, I can summarise that there are legitimate (security) reasons and not so legitimate ones, (for instance, bidding for impunity & parallel chains of commands in favour of have indicted war criminals & other undisciplined army officers within FARDC in order to insure the protection of Rwandan security and business networks in the great Kivu) from his involvement in the current crisis.

As for Kabila, I’m not sure how you arrived at your conclusion but all I can say is that I don’t think he’s managed to top-up his legitimacy or indeed earn ‘bipartisan’ support from this war. I can conclude quite to the opposite, when we judge from some credit he gained when he, for instance, nominated Matata Mponyo as PM or indeed stifled the ongoing ‘mutiny’ at its very beginning & putting some ‘powerful’ Rwanda’s backed high ranked army officers on trial and got them sentenced heavily...

Ref # “Do you not sense that contrary to prima facie observations, Kabila is actually very happy about what's happening in North Kivu as it gives me the opportunity to pose as the commander-in-chief, the "father of the nation in danger"? Just a thought-provoking query....”

If anything, I think this war has so far weakened to an extent his influence within the army, something he has rarely experienced since he is in power. I wouldn’t draw any conclusion now since the situation is very dynamic & highly unpredictable.

Anon JULY 31, 2012 5:42 AM

Ref # “I am also very interrsted in what @Rich would say. He is the most inteligent of the pro Kabila... Please react with a well thought answer.”

1. I decided to engage only rarely with anonymous since I find the whole idea of refusing to identify oneself, even with a nickname, as disingenuous. I say this because people should be able to assume the consequences of what they say in public.

2. Your comment sounds so unfair & patronising that it suppresses in me any desire to address it.

3. And last, I won’t see myself as a pro-Kabila since I know many pro-Kabila and I often have massive disagreements with them when we get a chance to debate. Anyone who knows me outside congosiasa can confirm that.

Sorry if this sounds harsh or disrespectful but I thought it would be helpful if I was blunt yet honest with you.

In conclusion, it is quite remarkable to see how people tend to forget that we are now talking about this war because the DRC government wanted to arrest bosco ntaganda and redeploy ex-cndp officers outside Kivu in order to gradually tackle impunity & parallel chains of command within the army. I think any government that could have come from the November 2011 elections would have done the same thing to ensure that the rule of law & order is gradually re-established in every corner of the national territory but I have no doubt, consequences would have been very much the same due to the ill state of our army and the time it REALISTICALLY needs to get well restructured & be able to deal with challenges like the one it is now facing in the Kivus. That said, other than voicing entertaining/frustrated sound bites on the ‘incompetence’ of J Kabila, I’m yet to find out the DETAILS of what the Congolese opposition suggests to adequately solve this crisis.

Rich

Anonymous said...

Congolese CENI’s President Pastor Daniel Ngoy Mulunda in Multi-million scandal dollar corruption scandal!!!
==================================================

Wonder why JK won the elections in 2011? Just read this piece of article from afroamerica.

http://www.afroamerica.net/AfricaGL/2012/07/31/is-the-noose-closing-around-congolese-cenis-president-pastor-daniel-ngoy-mulunda-colese-cenis-president/

Anonymous said...

Here is what patriotic M23 is fighting for: democracy, rule of law and good governance:
http://radiookapi.net/en-bref/2012/08/01/nord-kivu-une-trentaine-de-camions-bloques-kirumba-dune-taxe-imposee-par-le-m23/

Anonymous said...

Dear Rich and Blaise, I want to make clarification that the origin of war in Congo isn't Bosco Ntaganda.
The Ex.CNDP soldiers are claiming to the Kabila government to respect the agreements signed on 23 March 2009. If you are advisers of Kabila, you are putting him in a big whole. So we may advise Kabila to accept the negotiation with rebels instead of fighting because with that way he can not succeed. M23 soldiers are the best soldiers of Congo. Kabila can accept the negotiation and finish with the war. I think that this will be the best way of peace in Congo. If I understand why M23 is fighting ( for Democracy, rule of law, good governance, Security, development...) you and me can give them all our support to them. Try to think how Congo is very very rich but his citizen are very very poor.

Anonymous said...

Rwanda is acting in bad faith. The 23 march agreement allowed RDF (Rwandese Nationals) to join the hunt of Hutus genocidaires. These RDF participated in Kimia 1, Kimia 2, Umoja Wetu, Amani Leo, Amani Kamilifu. Most of these RDF soldiers never returned to Rwanda. They have become Fardc. It is an open secret. Unlike General Nkunda who is authentic true Congolese, Terminator Ntaganda is a Rwandese Citizen (even the ICC arrest warrant shows it). The Drc nationality law stipulates that everybody whose parents were in Congo on June 30, 1960 is a Congolese National. Ntaganda was born in 1973 in Kinigi, Rwanda. His parents were not in Congo in 1960. But, Kagame wants the world to believe that Ntaganda is Congolese. He is not. Kagame has to hand him over to the ICC. Rwanda wants to force Ntaganda down Congo’s throat as he did for Kabarebe who was presented to the Kinois public as a Congolese. Mzee LDK was compelled at gun point to appoint him as Congo’s Chief of Staff. More than 300 RDF SPECIAL FORCES are still operating inside the DRC where they are carrying out targeted assassination of Fdlr leaders. It is them who killed the FDLR Chief of Staff Col. Mugaragu and an elite battalion’s commander Col. Kanzeguhera. Other several important Fdlr officers have also been wiped out by those RDF commandos. Kabila has done everything possible to comply with Rwanda’s demands. But, Rwanda is not an honest peace broker. It is worth to note that there are two Fdlr: One still commanded by General Rwarakabije (a former Fdlr Chief of staff who defected to Kigali from where he still coordinates operations inside Kivu aimed to sabotage the DDRR operations). It is this group that is used to manufacture blackmails and treason accusations against Rwandese opposition figures, like Mushayidi, Ingabire. As the Group of Experts found it, this group includes Fdlr who are repatriated from Drc, sent to Rwanda, demobilized, and then sent back to DRC, when the need arises. So, it’s a vicious circle. The Fdlr will never go away because Kagame wants it to remain alive so he can cash on it and build his propaganda on the endless menace the group represents to Rwanda. The second group includes those who were in conflict with Rwarakabije in the bush; and who are afraid of returning to Rwanda; especially now that Rwarakabije is the Head of Rwandan prisons. In Congo, Tutsis represent less than 1% of the total population. Yet, in Kivu, 90% of colonels, and other higher ranking officers in Fardc, are Tutsis. As a matter of fact, Tutsis have 20 generals within the Drc army! Hunde, Nyanga, Bashi, Bembe, etc. have none. The Inspector General of Police, the MD and CEO of all Congo Revenue, the General Auditor of the FARDC, the Chief of Fardc Logistic, the Commandants of Fardc in the provinces of Bandundu and South-Kivu, the Commandant of Kitona Airs base, etc. are Tutsi. Most of the current operation Commandants (regiments) in Kivu, are Tutsis. Where is the discrimination against them? All the defecting officers had ‘jeeps de commandement’ (which they burned down). No other Congolese president would favor Tutsis as Joseph Kabila did. No wonder that some say that he is also a Tutsi. Can you imagine: all the Fardc soldiers and Commandants who are fighting M23 are Kabila loyalist Tutsis. To avoid a fratricide war, loyalist Tutsis soldiers keep withdrawing from their positions. But the point is that Congolese Tutsis are very much afraid of the M23 war backlash! They know that Kagame will come and go, but Congolese Tutsis will have to live with other Congolese whose families have been wiped out by Kagame’s mass crimes whereby Congolese have been killed (1000 in Kisangani, 200 in Kiwanja), burn to death (876 in Makobola), buried alive (14 women in Kasika), castrated ( 12 men in Karuba):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_views_on_nkunda0s_arrest/html/8.stm

Anonymous said...

@Rich,

Your answer does not address many of the propositions that have been offered on this blog like:
Opening the political space, stopping represion against oposition and dealing with legitimacy issues through internal dialogue.

Second you did not address the war and the patent lack of competency of the head of Congolese armed forces, Kabila.

And nobody has forgotten that all started because Kabila attempted to arrest Ntaganda through internationa pressure. The international community wanting Kabila to give him Nataganda in exchange of their endorsement of the flawed elections (again flawed elections comes again). That waw genesis, now we are at the level of managing this war, and we see how it is managed.

What do you want from oponent, who have already proposed you negotiation (at least the most moderate) ? Currently who has the imperium?
Rich I am genuinly trying to understand your point of view, maybe there are genuine assumption, I am mising. but not responding on the content and dissing everything on the form wont help.

By saying that Kabila has led this country the best that the county coukd be led according to circumstances is a very terrible statement. Does it mean that according to you, embezzlement, lack os security, destruction of the army and no contingency plan against Ntaganda and Rwanda is the best that Kabila could have done and that no Congolese or opponent could do better?

The quetion that I think you should ask is what Kabila could have done and what Kabila should do?

I am not sure that you measure the disconnect between people like you who always find excuses for Kabila and for whom Kabila should continue his work (that is the impression you gave) without accounting for oposition (in a previous post you said that opposition should not expect too much) and the majority of the population that feel ripped off , humiliated and angry.

And willing it or not this Ngoy Mulunda election has not finished to haunt you. Kabila had a chance to drive the country in the change it deserved .

Curious observer.

Anonymous said...

@ano AUGUST 1, 2012 7:59 AM

Thank you for your good contribution to the debate.

@Rich

I dont understand you, i dont get your frame of reference and I dont know what are your assumptions for reaching your conclusions.

Please let me ask you some question for helping me to understand you better:

". I think any government that could have come from the November 2011 elections would have done the same thing to ensure that the rule of law & order is gradually re-established in every corner of the national territory "

You take as origine the elections, I am also sure that any governemnet would have wanted to re establish law, the question is what did Kabila do to re establish this. And what preventives measures did he put in place to prevent the negative reaction that he could expect from people he gave full power for years?

"but I have no doubt, consequences would have been very much the same due to the ill state of our army and the time it REALISTICALLY needs to get well restructured & be able to deal with challenges like the one it is now facing in the Kivus. "

Could you give us the origin of the army debacle and tell us what Kabila has done to address them? So at least we can give him credit for what he has done good and understand that there was no other outcome possible.

"That said, other than voicing entertaining/frustrated sound bites on the ‘incompetence’ of J Kabila"

I would really like you to propose us another path that kabila could take to bring our nation further.

PK



PK

Anonymous said...

I don't see how Can someone claim to be Congoles but get offended and atack their fellow Congolese just because their asking for justice for the victims of The Congo's HOLOCAUST.
It's very troubling to see how people like PK,BISMARK and athers are now targeting even the guy called RUCHURU IN LONDON for being one of the Tutis Congoles who are standing up to Kagame. They rather see him join the m23 than dare standing up to Kagame.
The Congolese people shall oppose this kind of behavior. the enemy within are more dangerous than the enemy you know.
now all those Rwandese who used to insult everyone who opposed KAGAME on this blog have pulled back and late PK ,BISMARK ....do the their job. Wake-up Congoles and know who your enemy is.

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