Today, October 14, 2010 the UN Secretary General presented a report to the UN Security Council on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the 20 page report, a copy of which was obatianed by AfroAmerica Network, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon touched on several areas. But he recognized the failure in almost all the areas, including security, justice, governance, policing, and military operations.
In Para 77, he notes:
The present report presents a mixed portrait of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country has made significant progress and could benefit from a number of positive developments. At the same time, persistent challenges and certain negative trends, if not addressed, could reverse the gains made. ..”
But two of the most significant conclusions are in Para 79 and para 82:
“It is nonetheless clear that significant challenges have yet to be overcome by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The serious acts of violence against civilians in the eastern part of the country, the continued presence of FDLR, LRA and Congolese armed groups, and the violations of human rights by some elements of FARDC described in the present report continue, owing in large part to the absence of State authority in the affected provinces, the lack of progress in building professional and effective national security and rule-of-law institutions and competition for the illegal exploitation of natural resources. These are among the fundamental issues which, if not addressed, will continue to hamper efforts to establish lasting stability in the country. It is therefore essential to address both the causes and the symptoms of instability if the Democratic Republic of the Congo is to counter the threat of armed groups, effectively protect its population and enjoy relative stability throughout the country.”
Overall, the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains of serious concern. In the Kivus, repeated attacks against civilians by FDLR and Congolese armed groups have increased, in particular but not only in Walikale territory in North Kivu, in South Kivu, and in Bas-Uélé, in Orientale province. The emergence of loose alliances of FDLR, Mayi-Mayi and other Congolese armed groups that prey on civilians risks compromising the gains made in 2009 as a result of, inter alia, improved relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its Great Lakes neighbours. The structural weaknesses of FARDC, which were compounded by the incomplete integration of the Congolese armed groups, including CNDP, into FARDC, have continued to create vacuums that FDLR and other armed groups exploit. At the same time, multidimensional efforts to eliminate the threat posed by armed groups have suffered from the failure to extend effective State authority, including Democratic Republic of the Congo police personnel, to maintain stability in areas cleared by military operations. I would again urge Member States, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to redouble their efforts to implement the relevant sanctions imposed by the Security Council, increase legal pressure on FDLR diaspora leaders, and dismantle criminal networks in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. If current trends are not reversed, ongoing political, military, humanitarian and recovery efforts may prove insufficient to stem the violence and dismantle the remaining foreign and Congolese armed groups.
The UN Security Council continues deliberations on the DRC tomorrow, Friday October 15, 2010.
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