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

  1. #801
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default M23 Infographic

    Thanks to John Beretto's Tweet:
    Hover over a name to see a brief bio, or a line to see the connection between two names. Darker lines indicate stronger connections.

    The eastern DRC remains plagued by dozens of foreign and regional armed groups. The M23 rebel group emerged in 2012 as one of the most formidable armed groups in DRC, carrying out brutal attacks, executing prisoners of war, and recruiting child soldiers. The group collapsed in November 2013 following a military campaign by the Congolese armed forces, backed by the UN Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO). Even so, the UN Group of Experts reported in December 2013 that a number of sanctioned M23 leaders continue to move freely in Uganda and that M23 members continue to openly recruit members in Rwanda despite declaring an end to their rebellion on 5 November 2013. Also, numerous armed groups in the DRC continue to pose security threats, such as the FDLR and ADF, who are responsible for grave human rights violations and massive displacement.

    The interactive graphic shown on the left visualizes the complex M23 support networks documented in UN report S/2012/843, pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004).
    Link:http://www.stabilityjournal.org/host...upport-in-drc/
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 03-02-2014 at 07:42 PM. Reason: fix quote
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  2. #802
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default Should the United Nations Wage War to Keep Peace?

    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. Best of all it has a current map, hence below. Sorry it is so large, yet to discover the art of shrinking.



    Link:http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...ntion-brigade/

    One has to ask if the UN can ever be successful in Eastern Congo (DRC). Is there an exit plan, I think not.
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  3. #803
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default Another "little war" in the East

    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 Africa & Tanzania). Not to exclude Rwanda, which can complicate matters when it wants to.

    Written from a South African angle, hence the questions whether the SANDF should act:www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-01-05-will-south-africa-really-go-to-war-in-the-drc-again/?

    Our regular correspondent and SME on the Great Lakes region M-A Lagrange alas no longer posts, IIRC he still works in the area, but for a different agency.
    davidbfpo

  4. #804
    Council Member AdamG's Avatar
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    Default Democratic Republic of Congo, still a vacation paradise

    No pre-existing live thread on this locality, so let's kick it off with this happy news.
    "Militia fighters in the central Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly decapitated 40 police officers in the deadliest attack on authorities since an insurrection began in the region in August.

    Speaker of the Kasai provincial assembly, Francois Kalamba, told Reuters the ambush took place on Friday as police officers drove from the city of Tshikapa in the Kasa District to Kananga, capital of the Lulua province."
    https://www.rt.com/news/382291-drc-p...ck-decpitated/
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 04-09-2017 at 10:53 AM. Reason: Merged into main thread; it was a stand alone thread. Now has 165,182v
    A scrimmage in a Border Station
    A canter down some dark defile
    Two thousand pounds of education
    Drops to a ten-rupee jezail


    http://i.imgur.com/IPT1uLH.jpg

  5. #805
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    Default Gazing in the Congo (DRC): the dark heart of Africa (new title)

    The Best Defense Is No Offense: Why Cuts to UN Troops in Congo Could Be a Good Thing

    Mod's Note

    An update on the mission and a very different recommendation, get rid of the expensive ineffective Force Intervention Brigade and worth copying here as the author is an "insider":
    Adam Day is the former senior political adviser to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) and was directly involved in issues discussed in the op-ed.
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 04-09-2017 at 10:52 AM. Reason: Edited after copied here and Mod's note added.

  6. #806
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default A small war you didn't know about

    There is little hope here:
    A new conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen hundreds killed, a million displaced and the reported recruitment of thousands of child soldiers. The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga has gained rare access to central Kasai region to report on the crisis, sparked by the killing of a rebel leader last year.
    Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39587896
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 04-24-2017 at 07:33 AM. Reason: 167,314v
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    Default The Scramble Away from Africa

    Quote Originally Posted by davidbfpo View Post
    At least 3 million civilians in the D.R. Congo have been killed since 1996. This death toll is (to date):

    • 30X the civilian death toll in Syria
    • 7.5X the rate of civilian deaths per year in Syria
    • 49X the civilian death toll in Yugoslavia
    • 25X the rate of civilian deaths per year in Yugoslavia


    Yet which great powers are vying to intervene and stop this mass murder?

  8. #808
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    Default Democratic Republic of Congo: A Case of Recurring Obstacles

    Democratic Republic of Congo: A Case of Recurring Obstacles

    Entry Excerpt:



    --------
    Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
    This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.

  9. #809
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default 14 UN peacekeepers have been killed and 53 wounded

    From the BBC a reasonably lengthy report on what the UN calls a 'war crime' after:
    The UN's Monusco mission said the peacekeepers were attacked by suspected rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in North Kivu province.Five Congolese soldiers also died.
    Background:
    Monusco is the UN's largest and most expensive peacekeeping operation and has been in operation since 2010. However, earlier this year the UN revealed a plan to cut the number of peacekeepers there from about 19,000 to 3,000.
    Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42285871

    A useful map of the armed actors in the Eastern DRC, October 2017:https://kivusecurity.nyc3.digitaloce...Dec%202017.pdf

    Background to the organization:https://kivusecurity.org/about/project

    I am sure those dead are from Tanzania, which contributed to the 'intervention brigade' and the linked article states:
    Nearly 300 peacekeepers have been killed since the UN mission arrived in 1999, according to UN peacekeeping data.
    Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...-congo-attack/

    Added as it has more details:https://suluhu.org/2017/12/08/monusc...eping-history/
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 12-10-2017 at 04:53 PM. Reason: 205,313v up 38k since April '17
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