Gazing in the Congo (DRC): the dark heart of Africa (2006-2017)

[Stan]

With a forest cover between 30 and 10 m high (minimum) in most part of the places militias are active, and a visibility through vegetal cover close to 0… Part from preventing MONUSCO to engage anything (and then suffer casualties) I do not see what progress it will bring.

Assuming someone can maintain these Russian dinosaurs, they will be used to fly diplomats high over the forest to see the razor backs

At least Sophie (the woman from Carter Center) is doing something useful and cost effective.

Not a very convincing video. Staying in Kin and talking the Congolese government to death will not save anyone. Maybe she should consider paying the Guard Civil or soldiers not to rape. That may actually work while they get their potatoes planted

[carl]

Stan:

The story didn't say a word about who would maintain those Hinds. Nor did it say who would fly them, pay the bills nor how they would be incorporated into the organization. Just more additions to the fascinating collection of old derelict airplanes that sit off the ramp or runway of so many DRC airports I suspect.

[Stan]

Stan:

The story didn't say a word about who would maintain those Hinds. Nor did it say who would fly them, pay the bills nor how they would be incorporated into the organization. Just more additions to the fascinating collection of old derelict airplanes that sit off the ramp or runway of so many DRC airports I suspect.

These are minor concerns - I would be happy if they even get Jet-A1 inside the fuel tank

[M-A Lagrange]

Carl, Stan,

You're too critical. I just told you those choppers will be used to hunt down negative forces who hide in the forests of South and North Kivu.
To hunt down LRA, MONUSCO already deployed special ops troops from Jordania...
All this make sens: desert trained special forces and air power to stop militia in forest terrain... It does make sens if you look at the big picture. And the big picture is being capable to say: we did all what we could, now we have to go cause nothing is happening anymore. The fact that you do exactly what is not relevent is way out of considerations in such case.

[M-A Lagrange]

Lubanga Guilty of Use of Child Soldiers

Today, International Criminal Court (ICC) judges in The Hague delivered the Court’s first verdict—a finding of guilt against former Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga.

Prosecutors accused Lubanga of the war crimes of conscripting, enlisting, and using children under the age of 15 years for combat purposes while he served as political head of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) rebel group in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Lubanga denied all allegations against him, insisting that he gave orders for children not to be involved in combat and that prosecutors had influenced witnesses to lie against him.

The ICC judges ruled that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Lubanga is guilty of the crimes charged. Judge Adrian Fulford, Presiding Judge of the Trial Chamber, in delivering the verdict said that there was reasonable evidence to believe that Lubanga was involved in a recruitment drive for his UPC rebel group and that such drive included conscripting children and using them for combat purposes. The judges also found that Lubanga personally used children as his bodyguards.

http://www.lubangatrial.org/2012/03/...hild-soldiers/

For a good news, that's a dam good news. Ocampo almost f---k up the procecutor work but in the end justice prevail!

[Stan]

M-A,
Indeed a victory for humanity ! Perhaps the end to Union des Patriotes Congolais and Forces Patriotiques pour la Liberation du Congo

So, we just have 9,999 more to go with a few Zairian politicians ?

What to do with all those children that know how to employ firearms better than some African military, and have been professionally trained to rape - from life experiences ?

[M-A Lagrange]

Well, this is not going to happen before a while but YEAH! Bosco "Terminator" Ngatanga is back under thespot lights.

OK North Kivu provincial government already said loud what Kinshasa is wispering: not the right time, will never be and we decided that for the sake of our alledgely corrupted regime we choose "peace over justice".

The last part is even funnier as there is no peace in the Kivu right now! Uganda and UN agencies just warned that there are nearly 100 000 civilians who fled DRC since the begining of the year, at a rate of 40 per day and that return from Uganda to DRC could be stoppped.
This, thanks to an anti FDLR offensive conducted under Rwanda command which is basically targetting APCLS mining sites and not the FDLR.

So yes a good news for Humanity but the road still to go is long...