Opinion: The Terminator is sentenced for 30 years, the Capo is out, but what about the Don?

Bosco Ntaganda aka the Terminator was today sentenced to 30 years in prison for his crimes. However, that is not enough. It is not enough to take out the Capo or an Underboss to stop the crime. You need to take out the Don. In concern of the Terminator. The ICC and the International Community only took the Capo.

The Terminator is fine and dandy, he did his deeds and he did his bidding in the Kivu’s. He caused havocs, murder and massacre. In the wake of this, he should answer to that crime and to the lives he took and the kids he raised to be child soldiers. All of that is good, that he answers for that.

However, his handlers, the ones who gave him weapons, the ones who traded favours and ensured that the Capo could do his livelihood are walking free. The ones who gave way and let him do his deeds. Are proudly summoning people, being at international functions and continuing supporting other War-Lords in the same region.

You took out one, but there are plenty more fish. Because, the state, the ones across the border from Kivu needs the rebels, the warlords to continuing to prosper and sell looted minerals on the world market. This continues, as the spoils and exploits continues. Even as Bosco aka Terminator has to rot for 30 years in Europe.

The salvation isn’t coming, because the saviours are not there. The state are allowing this and the MONUSCO is not powerful to restrain these armed groups and militias, that has outside support and trade-routes to ensuring wealth.

If it is the Ugandan President supporting militias through Kisoro or Rwenzori mountains or the Rwandan President supporting it through Gisenyi. We just know this is happening and the world let it go on. Because, it isn’t our problem and the Coltan we need for Iphone and Samsung is getting distributed just in timely fashion anyway.

So, its fine that the Terminator is charged for the crimes committed. But its not fine, that the ones supporting the weapons, the ones earning on the exploits of him are getting away. They are walking free and getting no trouble what so ever. That’s what bugs me, but I am special that way. Peace.

Uganda Peoples Congress: Court Reinstates Hon. Jimmy Akena as MOF Member (28.08.2019)

Uganda Peoples Congress: Press Statement (14.08.2019)

UN Experts report that War-Lord Hemeti of RSF sells weapons to the CAR!

The now deputy of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) Mohammed Hamdan Dagolo aka Hemiti or Hemmeti, who shows that his continues to finesse funds with illegal and illicit arms trade to the Central African Republic (CAR). Not just to anyone there as well, he has sold arms and equipment to the FPRC (The Popular Front for the Rebirth of CAR) and UPC (Union for Peace in CAR).

This means that Hemeti has no problem to sell weapons to other armed groups across the Sahel region or even greater Africa. As long as he earns on others misfortune. Don’t believe that a man like this beliefs in peace and such. He is only in it for the long-con and the wealth. That is why the recent news of trading weapons to the CAR.

This shows that his a warlord, that the International Community has embraced with the acknowledgement of the TMC and the whole Post Al-Bashir paradigm. While he does what he did as an enforcer for Al-Bashir, but also does it with more power behind now. As he is a high ranking commander and also state official, not only a militia leader, who does the bidding of the central government. That is worrying, as his now implicated in illicit arms trade.

FPRC and UPC have continued to acquire weapons, ammunition and pickup vehicles from and/or through Sudanese territory, with the complicity of elements from the Rapid Support Force, which is led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagolo, alias “Hemmeti” (…) “As detailed in annex 4.6, between January and May 2019, new pickup trucks were purchased in Nyala, the Sudan. Vehicles belonging to FPRC and RPRC, some featuring mounted machine guns, were observed in Birao, Bria, Ndélé and Kaga-Bandoro. In January 2019, the Panel observed a strengthened military capacity in Birao, which coincided with tensions between FPRC and RPRC and with the positioning of a reported 60 vehicles and armed Rapid Support Force elements on the Sudanese side of the border” (…) “In late March, 18 FPRC elements, including “Generals” Adoum Kanton, Fadoul Bashar and Kader, travelling in pickup trucks between Nyala, the Sudan and Birao, Central African Republic, were arrested by Sudanese military intelligence in possession of weapons, ammunition and military uniforms purchased in Nyala. Abdoulaye Hissène reportedly purchased at least four of those loaded vehicles (see annex 4.6). On 8 April, Bashar Fadoul, who had been released immediately by the Sudanese military intelligence, and “General” Kingar reportedly returned to Nyala, where they purchased 20 boxes of 7.62×39 mm ammunition and 50 AK-type assault rifles from Rapid Support Force elements” (…) “In early February, immediately after the negotiations in Khartoum, a UPC trafficker also transported 500 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, AK-type assault rifles and ammunition, which he had ordered from individuals in Chad and picked up in Ndélé (see annex 4.7). The trafficker declared that the weaponry was needed to attack MINUSCA armoured personnel carriers in the event of a new military operation. In April 2019, that same trafficker reportedly purchased 260 grenades and grenade launchers in Chad (see annex 4.7). Similar types of grenades have been observed in the Central African Republic since 2010” (UNSC, 2019).

This here says it all. It cannot be understated. That the leadership of Khartoum, the RSF and Hemeti is now officially trading illicit arms and does it without any concern of the people in the Central African Republic. That is the sort of leader Hemeti is.

His actions and decisions to do this, to give the armed groups in CAR the ability to attack the peacekeepers of MINUSCA. That they are getting greater gear, more advanced weaponry, but also the ability to prolong their warfare. This is what the Sudanese government is sponsoring, they are earning fortunes on. Even as there is a arm-embargo with the peace-deal. That didn’t matter, because, the merchants of death doesn’t care. Peace.

Reference:

(United Nations Security Council – ‘Letter dated 30 July 2019 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to resolution 2454 (2019) addressed to the President of the Security Council’ 30.07.2019).

Opinion: Bosco aka the Terminator is now charged, but what about the big-men supporting him?

Today, the International Criminal Court sentenced warlord Bosco Ntaganda of 18 counts on crimes against humanity. This is a victory for the victims of his crimes and the things he did while being a general of militias within the Democratic Republic of Congo for years. However, even with him in the Hague, the sins his committed are still being done by someone else.

That is why the downfall of Bosco aka the Terminator haven’t had much affect. It isn’t like this has stopped militias from robbing, stealing, controlling, child-soldering and raping civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because, the same ones that supported Bosco is still lingering around and have new henchmen to do their bidding. The same minerals are taken through the same routes to the same sort of illicit trade and securing that another warlord their cut. The only thing that changed was that Bosco went to Europe and had to testify in Court.

Just a friendly reminder of who he is: “Bosco Ntaganda was born in 1973 in Kinigi, which is a small village located in the Virunga mountains in Rwanda. Shortly after, his family moved to Ngugu in Masisi in North Kivu. In 1990, at the age of 17, Bosco Ntaganda joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebellion whose military wing was led by the current President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. Bosco Ntaganda will then successively be used in the Rwandan army (1990-1995), AFDL (1996), RCD (1999), UPC (2003), CNDP (2003), the Congolese army (2004) and finally M23 (2012). He knows too much about Kagame’s organized crimes in the African Great Lakes region. Peace and security in this sub-region require first an end to impunity” (FDU-Inkingi – ‘The transfer of warlord Bosco Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court and the deployment of the special intervention brigade in Eastern DRC are two most priorities’ 22.03.2013).

So, its not like Bosco don’t have handlers behind him or had a support system for his tricks and trade. No, Bosco had a powerful ally, someone whose been meddling in the DRC for years. Someone who has sent his troops and earned fortunes on the minerals in the DRC, Mr. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Therefore, it is not like nobody was giving him weapons and letting him get rich of the spoils. It was the man who trained him and gave him the military education for later using him as a militia man in the DRC.

Just to put in more in perspective, Mondiaal nieuws reported: “But Ntaganda is of use to Kabila as well. Berwouts: ‘With the CNDP, Kabila won the support of the only power that could somewhat stabilize East Congo and moreover serves his electoral interests. In the run-up to the election, only Kabila was able to campaign in CNDP areas.’ What was not part of the agreement, is that the CNDP remained a state within a state, establishing a proper administration in Masisi and considered a threat rather than bringing security by large portions of the population. So Ntaganda is taking care of both Kagame’s and Kabila’s interests. That explains how he became a general of the Congolese army in 2009, in spite of the International Court of Justice issuing an arrest warrant against him three years earlier for crimes against humanity, mainly because of child soldier recruitment” (Stefano Valentino, John Vandaele & Anneke Verbraeken – ‘The killer king of North Kivu’ March 2012).

This shows the world how connected the Warlord and General was in his time. It wasn’t like he was in a vacuum doing his deeds. No, he was connected to Kagame and Kabila, they both endured and earned fortunes on his services. They accepted his crimes and promoted him for what he did. Therefore, it is striking that none of them had to pay for his crimes, but only him. Like he is the only one who committed this and did these acts.

We should wonder why Kagame and what he offered in return for the surrendering of Ntanganda. Why the ICC didn’t get Laurent Nkunda and others, whose become forgotten or not worthy criminals for the Courts. Surely, there must have been something for Kagame and Kabila to offer the Terminator to let him go and let him answer for these crimes. Because, surely, they didn’t want it all uncovered, especially they didn’t want their secret shady agreements done in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This would all stain their political future and also their standing among their peers. That is something, Kabila and Kagame couldn’t have. Therefore, without certainty, the leaders must have offered Bosco something in return, as he did rat them out and is now eating the charges. Peace.

The Second Summit of Leaders of the Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) – Monday 20th May 2019 – Joint Communique (20.05.2019)

Uganda Peoples Congress: Press Statement (22.05.2019)

Uganda Peoples Congress: Press Statement (15.05.2019)

Uganda Peoples Congress: Press Statement (08.05.2019)

Opinion: Why isn’t the NRM and Museveni celebrating 11th April 1979?

It is special that the National Resistance Movement are celebrating the Independence Day on the 9th October and the NRM on the 26th January every year. The President is busy celebrating the end of the Obote II and the Independence from the British Empire, but something weird is up. Especially, considering how the President the National Resistance Army/Movement are so proud of being part of what toppled the Presidency of Idi Amin. They are still never celebrating an important day.

The NRM and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni haven’t in years been celebrating the 11th April of 1979. It is like a day from the calender, that has vanished in thin air. The Independence of 9th October 1962 is relevant. The victory over Obote II and the bush-war, the 26th January 1986 is carved in stone. They got to celebrate it in lavish and nothing is speared in this manner.

However, the 11th April is forgotten or is done on purpose. Because Milton Obote remembers Museveni’s way of liberating Uganda on that day: “ On 11 April, 1979 when Kampala fell to the Kikosi Maalum and TPDF, Museveni was in Fort Portal staying with Princess Elizabeth Bagaya in the Omukama’s Palace which the TPDF who had captured the Town never damaged at all. On that same day, the President of the UNLF and all his ministers who attended the Conference at which the UNLF was formed except Museveni were, like me, in Dar es Salaam” (…) “When the mobilisers and others left, Paulo Muwanga gave me what he and President Nyerere had discussed. Paulo reported that in the long meeting with President Nyerere, the President kept repeating and emphasising three points. The first was that 11 April, 1979 was a glorious day for him, the President and Milton Obote who had overthrown a most brutal dictator. The second was that he, the President, was very much pained that his “comrade” Milton Obote was not happy and the third was that he, the President, could not understand why his comrade Milton Obote was regarding Lule and the UNLF as anything other than flies falling on a carcass. Paulo reported that President Nyerere used the word comrade and the expression “flies falling on a carcass” repeatedly” (Milton Obote – ‘THE UPC ROLE IN THE REMOVAL OF AMIN – PAPER BY A. MILTON OBOTE)

Because, certainly if Amin’s rule was bad and Museveni was proud of taking part of the overthrow of him. The President of today would have celebrated this, but alas, it seems more to be part of his history, that he wants to erase and not speak so loud about. Since, his role in the overthrow of Amin wasn’t as successful nor as big as the President wants it to be. That is why, he cannot celebrate a military victory, where he was hanging out in Fort Portal, when someone else invaded Kampala. That is why the President celebrates the 26th January and not 11th April. Since, in January it was him entering Kampala, while in April it was someone else who did it.

That is maybe why it isn’t an important date to Museveni. His vanity and his lack of courage, that he has to rewrite history and make people forget of his mediocre role. Is the reason, why he doesn’t celebrate the victory over the Amin years. The brutality of Amin and the killings of Amin. As him as President didn’t get rid of him, but got rid of Obote II and others.

Certainly as a part of the newly transitional council, Museveni should take some credit and his participation from exile meant something. However, there are also evidence of his lacking resources and soldiers for the combat. But, the others saw the need for their and gave him a space in the National Consultative Council, interim government post-Amin.

That is why its weird for me, that he celebrates two other dates, which was ending of other people’s reign, but the President who usually credits himself as the saviour from dictatorships. Are not celebrating the one said to be the worst in time or his conscious playing tricks on him? As he feels guilty that he is acting as Amin and ordering killings in the same manner as he did?

Because, there got to be a reason, as this was a jubilant day and with celebrations in the streets of Kampala on the 11th April 1979. Surely, the ones celebrating on the streets might not be living anymore. But the legacy and the history of that day is out there.

Darton reported on the 30th April 1979: “ KAMPALA, Uganda — When Tanzanian soldiers and Ugandan exiles marched into Kampala on April 11, they found the carnage left by the institution.’ alized brutality of a state gone insane” (John Darton – ‘Idi Amin: A Savior Who Became The Creator of 8 Years of Horror’ 30.04.1979, New York Times).

With this in mind, the state should celebrate this. A ending of one tyrant, however the current one is maybe not so jolly about remembering his end. Since, that even remind him, that his day will come too? Peace.

FYI: If you calculate this year, 2019 is actually 40 years since it happen. A fourth decade since the Tanzanian army went in and invaded Uganda to free them from Amin’s rule. Still, it doesn’t seem to matter to Museveni. Just a footnote in the scheme of things.