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From the BBC a reasonably lengthy report on what the UN calls a 'war crime' after:Background:Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42285871

A useful map of the armed actors in the Eastern...

There is little hope here:Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39587896

An update on the situation in the east, where the UN has to make up its mind whether to coerce the FDLR - or more accurately will the Intervention Brigade's main contributors do the hard work (South...

A long article, by National Geographic, complete with a short history back to the 1960's, with some stunning photos of beauty and the invariably grim human terrain. It has some pungent phrases too....

Thanks to John Beretto's Tweet:
Link:http://www.stabilityjournal.org/hosted/m23-rebel-support-in-drc/

An assessment from an IISS analyst:

Link:http://www.iiss.org/en/iiss%20voices/blogsections/iiss-voices-2013-1e35/november-2013-1d99/end-of-the-road-for-the-m23-447e

Sounds like a perpetual...

Carl & Stan,

What is remarkable is that the UN has again used force in the Congo, as it did in the sixties (1960-64); when their enemies were a mix of Congo military, mercenaries, separatists -...

ganulv asked:

I don't know about the USA. Only recently there was a press story about the difference between home-brewed Guinness, in Dublin and that brewed elsewhere. The difference was the...

Marc you wrote (in part):

Is it possible that the investors have encouraged the Mayi-Mayi Bakata to pay a visit? Or have the rebels simply spotted an opportunity to act?

Incidentally on another...

TV Press-Pass remarked:

I'm no expert, but the UN has given some missions 'an offensive mandate' before, although maybe not for a while. IIRC the original Congo UN Mission (ONUC?) took very clear...

A BBC report:

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21972193

An interesting mix of contributors. IIRC Tanzania's last combat mission was to invade Uganda long ago (1978-79), Mozambique...

An IISS Strategic Comment, which opens with:

It ends with, I would suggest with a lot of prayer required, as the "carrot & stick" approach is clearly not working. Referring to a twin-track peace...

Catching up on my reading I found a short article by Richard Dowden in 'The Spectator' six weeks ago, it is a sad tale, truly the "dark heart" of...

Three articles on DRC and Rwanda, two in FP, one by Jason Stearns, ex-UN expert on the Congo and one refers to another blogsite where Jason Stearns is the author.

Rwandan Ghosts: Benghazi isn't...

Stan,

I started there and then looked for details, hence my link.

The BBC News today had an interview with a UN official in DRC, he explained their role was to support the DRC's armed forces; so if they fled Goma the UN could not act and now they would protect the...

Link:http://www.opendemocracy.net/andrew-wallis/dr-congo-behind-headlines

The author ends with:

Abbreviations aside the best word for the situation is messy. At least the local African nations...

More commentary on the 'dark heart of Africa', primarily due to local actors and the failure of the UN mission. There are some hopeful signs.
...

Marc,

In answer to your question:

Can I suggest the likely suspect is the UK. Rwanda is a member of the Commonwealth, receives considerable UK aid and is of course closely linked to Uganda -...

Stan asked:

Ascension Island or West Falkland.

A first-hand report on the Congolese protest in Whitehall, London last week:http://mitchell-images-blog.blogspot.com/2011/12/democratic-republic-of-congo-is-country.html

In a surprising move Congolese residents in the UK have protested noisly in Central London yesterday:

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16103029

Today there was a noisy protest...

A backgrounder on the DRC:http://www.opendemocracy.net/pete-jones/material-stakes-in-democratic-republic-of-congo-elections

It also, however partial the author is, reminds us that some can make...

Moderator's Note

On the 8th December 2011 this thread's title was changed from 'Congo-Rwandan War: the Ever Ready Rabbit', to Gazing in the Congo (DRC): the dark heart of Africa, which recognises...

According to their owned Annual Report 2009-2010, including audited accounts, the Carter Institute has a variety of income sources, taking the top three categories in %:

Regarding elections it...