Thanks David for this post.

I would like to bring a light "eclairage" on what is going on in Eastern DRC for those who do not follow on a daily base the events there.

In fact things have gone a little amok in the past month since the regional powers (ICRGL, SADC, AU) and the UN signed a peace agreement framework under the patronage of the United Nation Secretary General in Addis Abeba on February 24 and supported by USA, UK, Belgium, France and EU.

Here is a link to US embassy comment on the Peace Agreement
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
February 25, 2013
STATEMENT BY PATRICK VENTRELL, ACTING DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON
Signature of Framework Agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region
The United States strongly supports the initiative of the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and ten other African heads of state in signing the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region, witnessed by three African regional bodies and the United Nations.
Read more: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/e...#ixzz2NWUYkt7i
http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/e...#axzz2NWUBzFY2

Following the signature of this peace agreement framework (which aims to enforce peace and stability resolutions taken and signed by the various actors of DRC conflict in the past) the M23 rebel group splitted in 2 to 3 parts.
The situation in the field is extremely complex and combats have erupted between M23 factions.
DRC government announced they wanted to sign a peace deal with M23 but as the situation went from "quite but unpredictable" (as the MONUSCO says) to complete chaos, the chances for this peace agreement between one wing of the M23 and Kinshasa has little chance to happen. Also, as M23 is divided, this peace deal will involve only one part of M23... Which means that 1 or 2 new armed groups will remain.

What is needed now is, as IISS says, a strong committement from all Adis Abeba peace agrement framework signatories to enforce and impose peace to armed groups in North Kivu. Which means in the immediat time a quick deployment of the "intervention brigade" the UNSG called for few weeks ago.
Ban calls on Security Council to authorize intervention brigade for DR Congo
5 March 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the Security Council to authorize the deployment of a special force within the current United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to address imminent threats to peace and security.

“The security situation remains fragile – and demands urgent actions,” Mr. Ban said as he briefed the Council.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.as...0#.UUHdBxenC8A

The question now is can the population wait for the UNSC to take the time to discuss at will a new mandate for MONUSCO or should that force come immediatly to potect the civilian populations as it is stated in MONUSCO actual mandate and give a break to the population who are under fire since a week now?