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

**Tom Odom** · 02-06-2007

The head of the U.N. mission in Congo said on Saturday he was concerned about growing human rights abuses by the security forces, just days after the worst political violence since landmark elections last year. At least 87 people were killed in the opposition-controlled western province of Bas-Congo according to Interior Minister General Denis Kalume.

But, human rights violations remain widespread, particularly in the country's militia-ridden east. Car hijacks and civilians killings are reported in the east of the province under insurgent control. One local health worker and another villager were killed this weekend by alleged FDLR hutu fighters and the health centre was looted. This violence outbreak is caused by the vacuum left after the 9th brigade was redeployed to the south from Katale to Kilimanyoka on the north axis.

The town of Ikela and its neighbourhood have been cleaned by police reinforced by armed forces. The insurgency started by a certain Nkoy Azoki alias Libanais has been defeated and the insurgents have fled to Opala for safety after two weeks of fight.

Troops have gathered in triangle comprised between Ngungu, Katoyi and Kibabi in Masisi territory (some 40 km West of Goma) and are supposed to plan a resistance to what they call a betrayal by President . They are mainly made of Mai Mai and Hutu warriors led by Major Bigembe and Colonel Mugabo. A new insurgency is imminent, a new way to win posts and money.

Carl, our alumni has been sending these to Stan and me. The Mai Mai go back to the early 60s; they were as I recall the first in the "modern" Congo to come up with the bullets into water business. Mai in Arabic means water and I believe that is true in Swahili as well' And of course the "Hutu warriors" are my old "friends". War in its various forms has been a constant for the Congo since 1994.

Best

Tom

**Tom Odom** · 02-06-2007

More from Carl

Democratic Republic of Congo named a new government on Monday evening , the announcement was made on state television (RTNC) in Kinshasa. The new government comprises one prime minister, 39 ministers and 20 deputy ministers. The new government kept some ministers, such as Denis Kalume who retained the interior portfolio as minister of state, and brought in figures from parties which backed Kabila through the elections. Is the cabinet strong enough to ease social tensions in the capital town or deal with tribal warriors and insurgents in the east?

Fighting continues in eastern areas, where ethnic militia still operate despite the presence of the MONUC, the world's biggest international peacekeeping force. A MONUC/FARDC joint mission to assess security in Minembwe highlands did not reach destination because of bad weather, but Gen Amisi (FARDC chief-of-staff says all the so-called insurgents will forcibly be taken to Luberizi where 1800 troops are already waiting. Colonel Alexandre (a mai mai fighter) is also gathering his troops for integration in Katshungu-Lulingu; security will improve in both Shabunda and Lulingu (south Kivu).

Drugs, cannabis and alcohol are the main cause of unrest in Ksai Occidental. Lots of civilians and soldiers have been arrested in Kananga and the ops are to be extended to the whole province in order to dismantle the supply chains and eventually destroy cannabis plantations. Cannabis yields more cash than maize, so farmers prefer it regardless the devastating effect on the youth. The same phenomenon is observed in Bukavu. In Goma, locally distilled whisky is sold everywhere and it has a negative effect on motorcyclists and cause traffic accidents at any time.

For maps of the area

Tom

**carl** · 02-06-2007

"A new insurgency is imminent, a new way to win posts and money."

Whenever the FARDC (the regular Congolese Army) can't handle a revolt or armed flareup, which is almost never, the gov. is in the habit of buying the leaders of the revolt off with a high rank or command of a military district.
So, if you are an ambitious leader with some men to command and you want to better yourself; you command your men to go forth and make trouble. They generally make trouble by murdering innocent people in the area.

Then, the gov. responds by giving the ambitious leader a high rank and a command in the army that was too weak to beat him.

**Stan** · 02-06-2007

Drugs, cannabis and alcohol are the main cause of unrest in Ksai Occidental. Lots of civilians and soldiers have been arrested in Kananga and the ops are to be extended to the whole province in order to dismantle the supply chains and eventually destroy cannabis plantations. Cannabis yields more cash than maize, so farmers prefer it regardless the devastating effect on the youth. The same phenomenon is observed in Bukavu. In Goma, locally distilled whisky is sold everywhere and it has a negative effect on motorcyclists and cause traffic accidents at any time.

Thanks for the post Carl !
Even as early as 85 cannabis was the preferred crop. It however then had little effect on the locals, it was just business and the Peace Corps and other Groupies would buy whatever was available.

Sad, it appears to have replaced a Simba lager. Worse yet, the Zäirois back then rarely (intentionally) did something to harm younger children. As many as four generations in one household, but the kids were safe (relatively speaking).

On a final note, I don't recall any of the locals driving without causing traffic accidents, and can only imagine doing said on distilled whisky.

**Tom Odom** · 02-07-2007

The new 60 member government, of which 9 are women has urgent tasks. One of its first tasks will be to tackle unrest causes by making security priority number one. Army, police and justice should be given relevant means for deep reformation otherwise all the other actions will be groundless. The government has new faces in it, but no one from rebel groups namely RCD and MLC.

Disarmament of foreign negative forces is a Monuc mandate. The Lords Resistance Army fighters are based in northern DRC (Congo) with a certain Vincent Otti who has decided to resume hostilities from southern Sudan where Joseph Kony (Lords Resistance Army warlord) is still hiding.

The reason for this change is that negotiations are stuck and Kenya has rejected a proposal to host them. Uganda might find it a good reason to cross the boarder into DRC (Congo) and hunt them down. Another group is an ADF/NALU coalition hiding at the foot of Rwenzori mount. The worst of negative armed group is that of Hutu (Rwandan) fighters scattered in the east from South Kivu to North Kivu, their sanctuary stretches at the edge of the Congo jungle. They often mix with Mai Mai tribal warriors ; the Alpha and Bravo mixed brigades are mandated to fight them.

Heavy shelling were reported yesterday morning in the area of Nyamilima-Ishasha to stop an attack of FDLR (Hutu hardliners) and Mai Mai coalition, the 8th military region did not confirm the fights. There is fear of reprisals among the locals who're alleged to cooperate with those negative forces.

Colonel Delemba of Baleine brigade was killed yesterday night when his residence was attacked by tribal warriors faithful to his rival, Colonel Lafontaine. Baleine brigade troops gathered in Bingi town (south west of Butembo) waiting for integration. Civilians have fled to neighbouring towns.

"Army, police and justice should be given relevant means for deep reformation" means they need to be paid. Who gets paid and who does not is the real issue.

The LRA has been a growing threat in the past 2 decades or so; it is very much an armed cult that the Ugandan government and its supporters finally started to take on while my the guy who replaced me in Rwanda, Rick Orth, later served as DATT.

Best

Tom

**Tom Odom** · 02-16-2007

Latest from Carl in K-town

Heavy shootings were heard in Nyabushongo (west of Goma town) when police and army tried jointly to disperse rioters following stabbing of a young man by a neighbour because that one used his private latrine without permission. The stabbed man is admitted in DOCS (Doctors on Call for Service) for emergency care. Revengeful angry mobs destroyed who houses before torching the rest of the buildings.
An appeals court in Bas-Congo has called on the DRC's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to organize a second round of polls for the positions of governor and vice governor of the province. The first round of polls to the positions of governor and vice governor for the two Kasai have been rescheduled for Thursday, February 15.

The Mission has deployed a mobile operations unit to South Kivu, which has been beset by unrest even since the formal end of the country's civil war in 1999, to help maintain public order. Military Operations Commander in Ituri district announced that FNI militiamen have fled deeper in Katanga forest instead of surrendering to the army for quick integration.

A miner found a 143-carat diamond in a river in Congo and sold it for $1.4 million, an official said Saturday. Amos Maseko discovered the stone in a river near Banalia, 129 km north of Kisangani, where usually only diamonds of between one and three carats are to be found, the president of the Congolese Federation of Gold and Diamonds, John Tokole told UN radio Okapi. The diamond was cheaply sold to a Lebanese subject because its real value is supposed to $4 million by officials contradicting Kisangani governor who was involved in the deal. Rudimentary mining attracts many minors to resorb unemployment. Those mining sites attract also children, drug consumers and mafia dealers; the main cause of unrest in such places.

A Border Security Force contingent will on Tuesday leave on a peacekeeping mission to Congo. The contingent, consisting of seven officers and fourteen subordinating officers, will be stationed in Lubumbashi and will assist in restoration of law and order for creating a conducive atmosphere for holding of elections.

The choice of Lubumbashi is probably related to illegal mining, mineral smuggle including cobalt and uranium.