Institut für Staats-
Eastern Congo: Ethnic conflict is the plunder of resources
6. August 2007, 10:00[Dr. Alexander Freiherr von Paleske] Disturbing news are being reported from the Eastern Congo. 120.000 people have been fleeing clashes between government forces, Rwandan rebels under the command of a General Laurent Nkunda or Kunda, and local militias.
The news often leave the reader puzzled, what on earth is going on in that area after a peace accord had been signed a long time ago and elections took place. The answer is certainly not or not only Hutus versus Tutsis. The answer is Gold, Diamonds, Coltan, and also Okapis and Mountain Gorillas.
The sad story starts with the ethnic genocide in Rwanda in 1994, in which 800.000 Tutsis were killed by radical Hutus. The Hutus were subsequently overwhelmed and hundreds of thousands fled to the Eastern part of the then Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 1996 Laurent Kabila started with his march to Kinshasa, toppling Dictator Mobuto Sese Seko. He was massively supported by Rwanda and Uganda. The US backed him as well. When later on Kabila fell out with Rwanda and Uganda, these countries invaded the Eastern DRC Rwanada under the pretext, that the displaced Hutus were now armed by Kabila to invade Rwanda.
This conflict degenerated into a five year war, in which more than 3 million people were killed, mostly as a consequence of displacement, hunger and diseases.
The plunder of resources
Rwanda and Uganda quickly started to plunder the resources of the Eastern Congo, specifically Coltan (Columbo-Tantalite), which is used in every laptop and cellphone, also diamonds, gold and timber.
A UN report, published in October 2002 accuses specifically General Salim Saleh, alias Caleb Akwandanaho, half brother of Uganda’s president Museveni, and now Minister for Financing of Small and Medium Enterprises, as being responsible on the Ugandan side for the plunder. Still Uganda, after removing it’s troops, is exporting more gold, than it produces.
Rwanda has become the largest Coltan Exporter in that region, even though no significant amount of Coltan is being mined in Rwanda.
After the peace accord in 2002 in which Botswana’s former president Sir Ketumile Masire as mediator played a decisive role, Rwanda removed its troops from the Eastern DRC however immediately afterwards a new force emerged by the name of FLEC-Liberation Front for the Eastern Congo. The Commander: Laurent Nkunda or Kunda.
General Nkunda and his Militia
Nkunda’s Tutsi Soldiers control the Coltan producing areas and tried unsuccessfully to take Goma however continue to terrorize the local population in North and South Kivu.
The Government in Kinshasa tried to find a political solution and offered integration of Nkunda’s militia into the Congolese army, which was quickly accepted by Nkunda, whose better trained troops had effectively the say in the mixed brigades and the result was an upsurge of atrocities against the local population.
Last year Nkunda founded a new party, the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). It’s aim is the repatriation of tens of thousands of Tutsis, who fled the DRC in the 90s. For that purpose the dislodging and displacement of the resident population makes sense. The next logical step would be the break up of the DRC
Even if Rwanda cannot break up and thus balkanize the DRC, it will continue with the plunder under the pretext of protecting Tutsis. Added to the plunder- list are now Okapis and Mountain Gorillas for Rwandas National parks.
Last week the Sunday Independent of South Africa reported about the increased poaching in DRC’s Vurunga National Park, where the poorly paid Game Rangers are fighting an increasingly lost battle against the militias, who live off the park by selling the animals and have killed many of the Rangers. Will Rwanda soon be the only place for visitors to see the Mountain Gorillas?
Only a sizeable peacekeeping force with the willpower and a strong mandate can stop this carnage and plunder by disarming the militias and sending a strong warning signal to Rwanda.
Erstveröffentlichung bei Journalismus - Nachrichten von heute
Verweise:
Im Gespräch mit Dr. Alexander Freiherr von Paleske
The news often leave the reader puzzled, what on earth is going on in that area after a peace accord had been signed a long time ago and elections took place. The answer is certainly not or not only Hutus versus Tutsis. The answer is Gold, Diamonds, Coltan, and also Okapis and Mountain Gorillas.
The sad story starts with the ethnic genocide in Rwanda in 1994, in which 800.000 Tutsis were killed by radical Hutus. The Hutus were subsequently overwhelmed and hundreds of thousands fled to the Eastern part of the then Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 1996 Laurent Kabila started with his march to Kinshasa, toppling Dictator Mobuto Sese Seko. He was massively supported by Rwanda and Uganda. The US backed him as well. When later on Kabila fell out with Rwanda and Uganda, these countries invaded the Eastern DRC Rwanada under the pretext, that the displaced Hutus were now armed by Kabila to invade Rwanda.
This conflict degenerated into a five year war, in which more than 3 million people were killed, mostly as a consequence of displacement, hunger and diseases.
The plunder of resources
Rwanda and Uganda quickly started to plunder the resources of the Eastern Congo, specifically Coltan (Columbo-Tantalite), which is used in every laptop and cellphone, also diamonds, gold and timber.
A UN report, published in October 2002 accuses specifically General Salim Saleh, alias Caleb Akwandanaho, half brother of Uganda’s president Museveni, and now Minister for Financing of Small and Medium Enterprises, as being responsible on the Ugandan side for the plunder. Still Uganda, after removing it’s troops, is exporting more gold, than it produces.
Rwanda has become the largest Coltan Exporter in that region, even though no significant amount of Coltan is being mined in Rwanda.
After the peace accord in 2002 in which Botswana’s former president Sir Ketumile Masire as mediator played a decisive role, Rwanda removed its troops from the Eastern DRC however immediately afterwards a new force emerged by the name of FLEC-Liberation Front for the Eastern Congo. The Commander: Laurent Nkunda or Kunda.
General Nkunda and his Militia
Nkunda’s Tutsi Soldiers control the Coltan producing areas and tried unsuccessfully to take Goma however continue to terrorize the local population in North and South Kivu.
The Government in Kinshasa tried to find a political solution and offered integration of Nkunda’s militia into the Congolese army, which was quickly accepted by Nkunda, whose better trained troops had effectively the say in the mixed brigades and the result was an upsurge of atrocities against the local population.
Last year Nkunda founded a new party, the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). It’s aim is the repatriation of tens of thousands of Tutsis, who fled the DRC in the 90s. For that purpose the dislodging and displacement of the resident population makes sense. The next logical step would be the break up of the DRC
Even if Rwanda cannot break up and thus balkanize the DRC, it will continue with the plunder under the pretext of protecting Tutsis. Added to the plunder- list are now Okapis and Mountain Gorillas for Rwandas National parks.
Last week the Sunday Independent of South Africa reported about the increased poaching in DRC’s Vurunga National Park, where the poorly paid Game Rangers are fighting an increasingly lost battle against the militias, who live off the park by selling the animals and have killed many of the Rangers. Will Rwanda soon be the only place for visitors to see the Mountain Gorillas?
Only a sizeable peacekeeping force with the willpower and a strong mandate can stop this carnage and plunder by disarming the militias and sending a strong warning signal to Rwanda.
Erstveröffentlichung bei Journalismus - Nachrichten von heute
Verweise:
Im Gespräch mit Dr. Alexander Freiherr von Paleske
