M23 war: Is really the West responsible of war in the Eastern part of DRC?
By Prosper HERI NGORORA, 13 February 2024
Amid the M23 war in Rutshuru, Masisi and Nyiragongo areas, demonstrations have been organized in East of DRC accusing Western powers and UN Mission of stabilization of Congo for being involved even failing to protect civilians from the scale of violences in the region.
With its mineral riches, the East of Democratic Republic of the Congo has been reporting violences for about 30 years.
Women are reported rapped, boys are flogged and forced to join armed groups, some children are forced to grow up without their fathers or their mothers.
Some parents who have never known the feeling of child embrace are desperate from seeing their children alive. Cornered by the weight of age, old people are driven from their owns despite all.
This situation raises questions on broader implication of some western powers in the country, in order to plunder Congo’s mineral resources.
In another hand, some analysts believe that Congolese have also their own responsibility in repetitive wars to protect their motherland from everything which should jeopardize it instead of making other responsible of their own misfortune.
“I was born in war; I grew up in war and I have got married in war. I haven’t known peace. But they tell us that some western powers as United states and European union are our friends. They have final decisions worldwide but they are not able to help us to end M23 war. I conclude that they support Congo’s war” says Mr. Delphin KALALA, a voucher seller in the streets of Goma.
As for him, good partners always make accounts but Western powers do not do so to ending war in DRC.
On Saturday 10 February 2024, demonstrations have been reported in Kinshasa, the capital city of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
People burnt some UN Vehicles, ambassies were attacked by strikers accusing them of supporting Congo foes as M23, which is carrying out offensives since November 2021.
Those actions are condemned by Gentil MULUME, a human rights defender based in Goma town, North Kivu.
He accuses the current Congolese regime of manipulating public opinion, hiding its incompetency of failing to protect inhabitants as a responsible state.
“Organizing demonstrations against Western powers and UN is not responsible. It’s a fruit of political manipulation. Normally, we should protect against presidency and DRC government and not against embassies of countries which have nothing to do with our incapability” underscores Gentil Mulume.
People have been mobilized from provinces till Kinshasa in order to attack UN and Western properties and it looks as a failure of Congolese diplomacy; reveals Mr Mulume, calling populations for all seriousness while protesting.
“Our government should use other means in order to restore our grandeur and not by manipulating populations. These acts have heavy consequences of the country abroad in future. The security is and must be demanded to the only Congolese state and not to others”, he emphasizes.
Monday 12 February 2024, while supporting Congolese army to withstand with M23 rebels around Sake city, 27 Km in Western Goma, folks attacked Monusco peacekeepers, accusing them of connecting with the enemy.
“Folks do not understand well the Monusco mandate. And their misunderstanding is increased by misinformation. What we should understand and retain is that UN peacekeepers are here to support all efforts to bring a lasting peace. It’s not understandable that we suppose them to support any armed group” says an analyst in anonymity.
In November 2023, Monusco and Congolese army launched what they called “Springbok operation” to prevent any threat of M23 on Sake city, which connects directly to Goma, major city of North-Kivu province.
In July 2022, protests were organized mostly in Goma, Butembo and Beni regions by civic engagement movements calling for Monusco departure, accusing it for not being able to protect civilians from atrocities of armed groups.
“If Monusco goes, the peace shall be a reality in the DRC. It has been said that they provide weapons to armed groups. They role is to protect civilians but they fail to accomplish their mission. We want UN security council to take decisions and make sure the withdrawal of Monusco from Congo soil is done as soon as possible” spoke out Mr Jonathan KUBUYA, one among demonstrators in Goma.
More than 33 persons were killed in those demonstrations, among them 4 UN peacekeepers.
DRC and Rwanda are in clashes, they are accusing each other of backing rebels which are staging attacks within each territory, causing fatalities and other humanitarian concerns.
Since diplomatic relations between Kinshasa and Kigali are not sounds at all as they were during the dawn of Félix TSHISEKEDI rule in 2019.
Félix TSHISEKEDI president of DRC swears to protect his territory, disclosing that any inch will not be given to invaders.
Paul KAGAME, head of state of Rwanda denies accusations of supporting M23 rebels, adding that it’s an internal Congolese dispute.
Nevertheless, he always says that he will not stand idly by if his country is attacked by rebels backed by Kinshasa regime.
Despite the fact that DRC is reported invaded by Rwandan army, it’s also responsibility of its authorities to beef-up the security capacities of this second-large African country.
The former US president has stated it in July 2013 in Dar-es-Salaam, while visiting Africa amid M23 war around Goma.
“President Kabila inside of Congo, he has to do more and better when it comes to dealing with the DRC’s capacity on security issues and delivery of services and that’s very important because if there’s a continuing vacuum there, then that vacuum some times gets filled by actors that don’t have the interests of Congo at heart” warned Barack Obama.
On Wednesday 7th February 2024, demonstrators with wrath burnt USA and EU flags when gathered in Goma amid heavy fights between M23 and FARDC-backed militia called Wazalendo.
They want other reliable partners than United states of America and European union for DRC in order to bring about solutions to the war.
In a press release in December 2023, the EU has declared compassion towards Congolese people, despite all that’s said against it.
“The EU reiterates its full solidarity with the populations in Eastern DRC who continue to pay heavy price of protracted cycles of violence, human rights violations and abuses” highlighted the European Union.
Congo has elected its new leaders and up to them to do whatever it takes in making sure that peace, security are assured for its prosperity and it’s possible to get peace and calm that is needed for almost three decades.
