



Communiqué of the Consultative Meeting of IGAD Member States on the Current Drought Situation in the Region (31.03.2017)









“We don’t want to just cut for the sake of cutting. There are places we can cut. Everybody knows there’s fat at the U.N. Everybody knows there’s fat in the peacekeeping missions. So that’s why we’re taking each one.” – Nikki Haley U.S. Ambassador to the UN (Westcott, 29.03.2017).
There is something very wrong with our current day of leadership and their pride. If a mission had been finalized and done, than I would understand why they decided to change the mandate or suspend it. What happen at the United Nations Security Council this week, the 31st March 2017 is a mystery to me. It is a unique act of ignorance and lack of understanding, as if the less is better when the acts of oppression and killings happens on a day-to-day basis. When villages and towns are silenced by either government forces or rebels. That the UNSC see it fit to cut their mandate and have less soldiers to be there monitor and control the acts against the civilians. Take a look!
The worrying news from the United Nations:
“The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for another year but reduced the number of troops” (…) “In a resolution unanimously adopted, the 15-member body decided to keep the UN Organization Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) until 31 March 2018, but approved 16,215 military personnel, 660 military observers and staff officers, 391 police personnel, and 1,050 personnel of formed police units” (…) “In a previous mandate extension, the Council approved 19,815 military personnel, 760 military observers and staff officers, 391 police personnel, and 1,050 personnel of formed police units” (MONUSCO, 2017).
That the United Nations Security Council cuts with 3,600 military personnel into the MONUSCO Peacekeeping Operation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is like a wrapped Christmas gift in early March. Also the cut in in military observers by a 100, only keeping the same amount of police personnel and police units, shows the lack of understanding the fragile situation inside Congo. The Congolese Authorities are oppressive and silencing the citizens, while citizens are dying and even mass-graves are appearing in Kasai-Oriental, as M23 have resurfaced, the Mayi-Mayi creating issues, Kamwina Nsapu rebellion, the ADF-NALU inside the Kivu’s. There are so much violence and killings, still the International Community play foul by stepping down their mission as the situation isn’t becoming clearer or better.
There been issues in North Kivu and South Kivu for long as Rwandese and Ugandan based rebel groups, together with relics of the great-wars of the 1990s are still at large, these are done in systematic oppression, as well as the resources have been exported through channels that even lead to the building of gold refinery in Entebbe recently. Still, this is all happening under the nose of the United Nations Security Council, they know this as of late two of the UN Experts together with their interpreter lost their lives while following up on the mass-graves of Kasai-Oriental. Therefore, that after months of killings in yet another province, that the MONUSCO getting weaker is gift to President Kabila and his violent oppressive army FARDC.
Important cuts of MONUSCO according to the U.S. Ambassador to the UN on the DRC Mission:
““We can reduce the troops tremendously,” Haley would later tell a gathering of foreign-policy mandarins and reporters at the Council on Foreign Relations. President Joseph Kabila’s “corrupt” government, she suggested, may be unworthy of international support from the United Nations. And the U.N. mission, she added, might be compromising its integrity by “aiding a government that is inflicting predatory behavior against its own people.” (Lynch & McCormick, 2017).

Well, what the new Ambassador Haley doesn’t see that if the UN didn’t have a genuine mandate and forces there, than the escalation and the possible worsen efforts from the government could have appeared, as the price of power from the central government hasn’t really showed lack of use of excess force in the past. As well as giving way to rebels to steal and take resources so they can export it to Rwanda and Uganda. That has happen over a decade and shaped the mineral industries, as well as the relationship between the Republics. But I am sure that Haley haven’t read the bloody history or the extended warfare and warlords that has affected the Congolese heartland. That would surely make her think of other than corruption, but also of the amount of innocent people killed. She and the U.S. can replicate their dollars and drop silver dollars again to crash economies as they did in the past. But, to use economy as a reason to give way to President Kabila, seems futile and like monkey-wrenching the UN Peacekeeping mission.
So the cutting of the fat, will also cut the will and possible effects of the UN Mission in the DRC. They are maybe saving some funds, but even creating most likely unknown effects where the stakes are higher than a service adjourned and continues peace. The Kabila Government are far likely fearing the UN and their MONUSCO while knowing that the UN will cut their support and their mandate to save U.S. Tax payers monies. Instead of seeing the benefit of securing the peace in the Congo. Certainly, the nation who was partly involved in the killing of President Patrice Lumumba, should feel their needed support of a peaceful transition and recognize that they also kept the funding of President Mobutu Sese Seko for decades upon end. So the US history in the DRC comes with a price and they should not talk budget, but talk on how to strengthen the MONUSCO’s mandate to secure the civilians, who are used as pawns on the chess-set, while the leaders are trading favors and finding paths to stay in power. Kabila knows this and using all tricks to be able to stay without holding an election or respecting the CENCO agreement. Therefore, the weaken MONUSCO by 3,600 military personnel is gift, a splendid gift to Kabila and his cronies.
Kabila, should be delighted and have an afternoon delight with some liquor and prime cut beef. However, the US administration shows that they are not thinking long-term in policies in their respects to the UN. This will cost more and take more time on their involvement in peacekeeping mission in the future, as the resolving mechanisms and the results of stifling the powers are gone. The mission themselves sometimes doesn’t deliver great results in change, but they keep the violence at bay and also make sure the governments doesn’t extended their power grab. That would change if the weaken mandate of MONUSCO would be even more axed. Peace.
Reference:
Lynch, Colum & McCormick, Ty – ‘Nikki Haley Threatened to Withhold Backing for U.N.’s Congo Mission, Then Blinked’ (30.03.2017) link: http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/03/30/nikki-haley-threatened-to-withhold-backing-for-u-n-s-congo-mission-then-blinked/
MONUSCO – ‘DR CONGO: SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS PEACEKEEPING MANDATE, BUT REDUCES TROOP STRENGTH’ (31.03.2017) link: https://monusco.unmissions.org/en/dr-congo-security-council-extends-peacekeeping-mandate-reduces-troop-strength
Westcott, Lucy – ‘U.N. AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY: ‘I BELIEVE YOU WILL SEE CUTS TO THE U.N.’ (29.03.2017) link: http://www.newsweek.com/nikki-haley-un-budget-cuts-peacekeeping-575967


















That the Democratic Republic of Congo State Official Lambert Mende today confirmed that the UN Experts taken hostage earlier this month, we’re found in a shallow grace in Kasai-Oriental, he confirmed that the UN Staff Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, we’re found together with their interpreter Betu Tshintel. This happen on the 28th March of 2017. That is worrying sign, but the province has already been hit by dangerous violence that been deadly to villages. So that the men and woman from the United Nations lost their lives while reporting to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
That the death of Michael Sharp, Zaida Catalan and Betu Tshintel, is a sad view of the dire situation in the province, as this is proof of the killings and the armed interference in the daily life.
17 Mass Graves in Kasai-Oriental:
“The violence in the former province of Kasai, shaken by the rebellion of the militiamen of Kamuina Nsapu, was invited to a meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on Wednesday 22 March. While the Congolese authorities confirm overflows, the indictment of seven military personnel for crimes against humanity and an investigation into two mass graves in the former province of Kasaï, the United Nations, on their part, are worried about the The alleged existence of at least 17 mass graves in the central and eastern Kasai, as well as barriers to access to these sites and the exercise of their mandate” (RFI, 2017).
Congolese Policemen killed:
“A Congolese National Police (PNC) has revised down on Monday, the number of policemen killed on Friday, March 24 in an ambush strained by the alleged militiamen Kamuina Nsapu. According to Colonel Pierrot Mwana Mputu, spokesman of the Congolese National Police, thirty-nine policemen were killed in this ambush” (…) “From Kinshasa to support the police units in Kasai province and on two trucks of troop transport police near Tshikapa, the policemen were ambushed by the militias claiming Kamuina Nsapu, at the village of Kamuesha, 77 km from Tshikapa,” said Colonel Pierrot Mwana Mputu, in a message read on Monday 27 March in the evening on national television” (…) “These policemen, who left Kinshasa on the morning of March 24, were buried by their executioners in a false commune instead of the massacre, said the same source” (Radio Okapi, 2017).
Kabila warned about Kamwina Nsapu:
“It is with this message that he urged the base of the PPRD of the federation of the Eastern Kasai to enroll massively and to arm itself morally in order to face the elections at all levels and to win them. He welcomed the resolve of the PPRD, MP and all Kasaiens to prevent any insurrectionary attempt to put the country in chaos and delay the momentum of its development given by the Head of State And moral authority of the MP, Joseph Kabila Kabange. He warned the pockets of resistance of some militias operating under the label of Kamwina Nsapu, whose ruling family has agreed to lower arms and work for peace in this space. “All those who commit crimes under the Kamwina Nsapu label will be treated like criminals and will have to answer for their actions,” he said. This exchange took place in the presence of the governor of this province and federal president of the PPRD Kasai Oriental, Alphonse Ngoy Kasanji and other cadres of this party. Deputy Prime Minister Shadary visited Mbuji-Mayi on March 15 from Mwene-Ditu, Lomami province, to pacify the province in the face of the threat of ex- Militia Kamwina Nsapu. This mission was notably crowned by the surrender of this militia to the authorities, it is recalled” (ACP/FNG/KGD, 2017).
That the death of the UN Experts and the interpreter are bad enough, it is sad that innocent men and woman dies in the DRC. No matter where they come from and how they got there. Still, the deaths of locals, the Congolese citizens in Kasai-Oriental by either the rebels Kamwina Nsapu or the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). The battles and skirmishes of these in the province, proves the who’s deaths that matters.
That the UN Experts are known men and woman who has connections abroad and inside power. They are important in that sense, but still the FARDC massacres and the Kamwina Nsapu rebellion, as the alleged mass graves, together with the killings of Policemen in short time span. This has all been revealed in the matter of this month, March 2017. This proves that the Kabila Government, the Central Government of Kabila, have forgotten to govern or to rule with care of their citizens. That the government are using their army to kill their own and instead of only fighting the rebellion, they are also killing off their own. The rebels killings is bad as it is, but the FARDC isn’t creating a better situation.
All of these unknown men and woman dead in recent months in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a tragedy, that is created by the Central Government, as the postponed elections and unwillingly to leave the power. That the Policemen dies, the citizens and foreigners in a region lost to rebels, who knows and has skills to take life. Certainly, this is a deadly area and is in the deepest crisis. A crisis that has been created and as a reaction to the volatile situation that President Kabila wanted to leave, so that he can come in as the savior and save the Kasai-Oriental. However, the foul play is in order and without consideration of the villages, the citizens and the strength of Kamwina Nsapu. Therefore, the MONUSCO, the United Nations and other Organizations doesn’t have the skill set or manpower to silence the guns.
The Kasai-Oriental crisis, is much bigger than the deaths and murders of UN Experts and Interpreter, FARDC and MONUSCO cannot handle Kamwina Nsapu, that is proven by the massacres, that either is provoked by the rebels or created by the army. No matter what it is the innocent people who dies in the bloodshed. The Congolese men and woman, the Congolese Authorities that doesn’t act upon the war-crimes and let it escalate. The world wasn’t really caring about 17 reported Mass Graves, but a two UN Experts, will make many cry havoc, more than a dozens policemen. Because Zip-Codes matters in this cynical world, as if the innocent civilians of Kasai-Oriental hadn’t deserved a better fate, than being prey to either Kamwina Nsapu or the FARDC. That the MONUSCO couldn’t intervene or act in mercy of civilians proves the lacking mandate of yet another pack of Blue Helmets. Peace.
Reference:
ACP/FNG/KGD – ‘Emmanuel Shadary réaffirme la volonté de la MP de respecter la Constitution’ (27.03.2017) link: http://www.faapa.info/en/2017/03/27/emmanuel-shadary-reaffirme-la-volonte-de-la-mp-de-respecter-la-constitution/
RFI – ‘RDC: l’ONU soupçonne l’existence d’au moins 17 fosses communes dans les Kasaï’ (23.03.2017) link: http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20170323-rdc-onu-fosses-communes-enquetes-kasai
Radio Okapi – ‘Kasaï : 39 policiers tués dans une embuscade à Kamuesha (Police)’ (28.03.2017) – link: http://www.radiookapi.net/2017/03/27/actualite/securite/kasai-39-policiers-tues-dans-une-embuscade-kamuesha-police#sthash.PWiIjaHw.dpuf