DR Congo: " The child before they broke his heart Our heart, the heart that I believed was lost "

Esther Nsapu at Rafiki blogs: Another African blog and even better from Goma. You can't know how happy that makes me. This is a translation from French and cleaned up by me. All translation errors are mine. As this is Esther' blog I have not made any comments as per my practice with Charly Kasereka and Chantal Faida's blogs.

Shasha: Space "friend to children" Shaping the future of underprivileged children

                           

Child soldiers, victims of war and orphan's studying free courtesy of the  friend child Shasha network. In addition to the lessons learned in the classroom they are also trained in dressmaking and design; we have to prepare a better future.

They are about 500 children from the territories of Walikale, Masisi, Rutchuru aged from 4-16 years. They live, study and are supported by free to friend child space (SAEP) at Shasha, a locality thirty kilometers to the west of Goma, North Kivu, DRC.

Most of these children have lost their parents in the recurrent wars of the region. Some are the result of rape and others are former soldiers conscripted into armed groups. " I feel better here. Here after a few months I can read and write " reports Bonane Bazimaziki, 14, former militiaman.

At the age of 13, K. Baeni like most children accommodated in "Space " , could not count or hold a pen. "His integration was not easy but we are proud of him as of all the others  , " said Clarisse Kasaza the manager of SAEP.

Included in this number, nearly 200 girls are taught the skills of cutting and sewing, while boys learn drawing and painting. " I am proud to be able to sew clothes but also to weave carpets , " says FT, a girl born as a result of rape, never having known her parents and abandoned at birth. 

Even the locals are included 

Although this SAEP project is designed to supervise the children victims of war, the work of this organisation also benefits the local people. Included in the school, there is  ten local children. George Bazibuhe, chief of the town of Shasha observes, this organization is also very beneficial as giving the poor village children the opportunity to study for free.

He is proud and encourages developers and managers of this structure for children. " I can hardly pay my rent and my income does not allow me to educate my three children. Fortunately this center exists if not, I would seem irresponsible "explains Nsimire, who sells mangoes in the village.

According to Clarisse Kasaza since the center was established there two years ago, the progress has been significant: " children who were violent became docile. Tomorrow they will become honest and responsible citizens thanks to the education they have acquired.  " But the fact remains that the stresses on parents are large and numerous a fault authorities of the country are powerless to fix so the center must respond.

OK sort of breaking my comments rule but as I was working on this a friend
Kalume Jon mentioned what he was currently doing.

"...in Northern Uganda where Lord Resistance Army operated by Joseph Kony,... now am in evaluation of children's situation, orphans and child soldiers and vulnerable women affected by war. "

From a global perspective these issues should and are to some degree addressed by the UN. Rehabilitation should become a UN Security Council responsibility, the way out of messes like this is to break the cycle of violence. From a New Zealand perspective we need to win a seat on the council in September and getting Helen Clark into the job as UN Secretary General should be a national priority. We may only be four million people at the bottom of the world but that is not a weakness it is our strength. The NZ Government is by virtue of our size close to constituents. 

In 1994 while New Zealand held the presidency of the UN Security Council the Rwanda genocide happened. We attempted to stop it but we were over ruled by permanent council members.  Most New Zealander's didn't  and don't know the Rwanda genocide happened. Had they known, had they mobilised who knows what the international community would have been forced to do, remember the Springbok tour of '81 and we were divide then. New Zealand is almost unique in the world, when we collectively want our government to do something they had better do it or start looking for new jobs. That is our size advantage, that is our ability to change the world.

DR Congo: " Just another empty gesture with an empty glass "

Radio Netherlands Worldwide reports ( Translated by a translation service and cleaned up by me. The author Chantal should be familiar to regular readers of this blog. I have resisted the temptation yo comment ).

Living near a large lake and dying of thirst

By Chantal Faida, Goma

March 22 was World Water Day. In Goma, DRC, there are voices demanding that special attention be paid to the problem of access to safe drinking water.

In an interview with a local radio Misona Gautier, president of the Civil Society in the city of Goma, suggests that the issue of water should be a popular topic: "Access to water is an inalienable right . The  people of the DRC should think about building public awareness through non-violent protests - peaceful marches, public statements, etc. -demanding the right to safe drinking water "

The ongoing water shortage 

More than a problem, the recurrent water shortages in the Congo in general and Goma in particular have become a disaster. To believe the 2013 annual report of UNICEF , 37 million Congolese do not have access to drinking water and the numbers are growing.

Improper water causes diseases

There is reason to wonder what use all that water serves us. With regard to the city of Goma, it is a paradox to live beside the majestic Lake Kivu and die of thirst.

In most residential areas of the town at the foot of the volcano, the taps are dry. The humanitarian consequences are unpleasant. The consumption of unsafe water (untreated water lake) is the cause of waterborne diseases. Fetching water early in the morning or late at night is dangerous, travelling very long distances on foot, with all the risks that may incur, such as kidnapping, rape and even murder.

The State is always absent when needed

"Our teams are hard at work to address this glaring lack of water in Goma, just a little patience," this is the standard excuse from the local authorities when we the problem of water shortages is mentioned.

There is no master plan for water, no water code, no reconstruction of damaged infrastructure for water, no development of a public water supply, in short, there is no way to deal with this issue that affects all of the local population.

Youth engagement

Meanwhile, some young people involved in the fight for positive change in Congo, Lucha - are planning to hold a day of demonstrations shortly, outside government offices to demand that the water flows back into the taps.

Welcome Matumo, a Lucha  activist advocates this action: "It is not a favor we will ask them, but it's a demand to restore our rights. Water is life. We have the right to life. For a long time people have had only half measures, we want sustainable solutions. "

Chantal's Blog is here   

DR Congo: Charly Kasereka - " On the ring road to somewhere "

Charly Kasereka blogs, I have translated this from French using Google Translate and as usual have cleaned up and attempted to make sense of the Google translation. I am responsible for any errors. 

I usually don't add any commentary to Charlys blogs however I suspect the attractive young women pictured holding an umbrella below is none other than Goma blogger Chantal Faida. I have become used to Charly's adventures  , things like getting himself embedded with the Congolese Army FARDC when they  were on the losing side in the battle for Goma 15 months ago. Chantal I was sure, was far to sensible to do this crazy stuff.  :-)

The Thousand Barriers on the bumpy road to Walikale

                                   Broken Bridges National Road N3108 km. Walikale-Hombo ( Photo Charly Kasereka )

The road is long! Not only long, it is also difficult to access. Mud and barriers are everywhere, not to mention snipers and broken bridges.

Walikale is one of the five areas that make up the province of North Kivu (the others are: Beni, Lubero Masisi, Rutshuru). The territory is located in the river valley of the Lowa river more than three hundred kilometers west of Goma which is the provincial capital.

The Walikale  territory is divided into two communities: Bakano with 4238 square km and Wanianga 19,237 square km. This is the largest area in the province with 39% of the total area of 59 483 square km.

However, the roads are almost non existant, either never built or if built never maintained. To get there you improvise, and you will face many difficulties.

By plane? possible, but not certain. The aircraft will take off and land there on a bumpy track (the NR3 linking Kisangani in Walikale) the same asphalt has covered the surface for over thirty years.

Maybe helicopter? Hey! In DR Congo private helicopters are uncommon, there is an aviation company, but it does not have a helicopter.

By road a 4x4 can do the trick, but be prepared for the worst, mud and broken bridges. If you run into the bandits you may be killed. Therefore it is difficult to traverse the Goma-Walikale leg of the road without risking your life.

On the other side, at the Walikale-Hombo leg of the road to Bukavu it is a minimum of six hours journey by motorcycle, you will have less trouble if your rider is experienced and knows the environment. It is only 108 kilometers along this road (Hombo-Walikale).

                                            A young biker doing Walikale-Hombo on NR3 (Photo Charly Kasereka)

108 kilometers from hell

The 108 km of sheer hell. The cost is forty-five thousand francs Congolese (fifty U.S. Dollars) for this trip by motorcycle.

The number of times you get off and push the bike to facilitate its passage through the lakes of sludge are best not counted, but you will be tired. This is not the fault of the driver, a highway N3 (NR3) certainly is not!

Mud holes and broken bridges are main features on this stretch. The area is landlocked and the only way through is by the bike.

   A member of the Mai Mai Raia Mutomboki manning a toll " gate " in the Walikale-Hombo NR3 (Photo Charly Kasereka)

Who really controls the Zone?

For more than ten years now state authority has been absent in three-quarters of this territory. Armed groups formed by the village youth control everything that can be found in their area.

On the road, there are more than thirty barriers installed by two armed groups who make the " law ". The Raia Mutomboki  and Mai Mai Kifua Fua groups''. They charge a self-defense tax of Fifteen thousand Congolese franc (U.S. $ 15) for each household per month. Passersby on motorcycles are taxed a thousand Congolese franc per head to pass through a village, bridge, house or even a hole. There is no mercy you do not have the money, you stay there! 

You sure are lucky if the boy with no principles or even manners armed with a AK47 and with a large knife hanging from his hip does not rob you of everything taking even the your hat and leaving you with nothing to even cover your head. 

Taxes are what  keeps these movements alive and the main beneficiaries are the leaders. Subordinates receive only crumbs and live on small scale extortions and plunder here and there. 

The population is impoverished, the older residents have already moved more than eight times after multiple confrontations between the Congolese army FARDC and the FDLR ( Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda ).

We come across some other young men, unarmed this time, barring the passage of the road with a tree trunk, they are pretending to maintain the road by filling the multiple holes with stones.

Walikale is a large area and it is not only big, but rich in minerals, with cassiterite in abundance. Because of that Walikale and neighboring Masisi remains home to the largest of the armed self-defense groups. They all claim to protect the area against perpetrators of the various rebellions particularly the FDLR who fled to this territory in 1994. Rwanda fugitives and the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Rai Mutomboki , Mai Mai Kifua Fua and the Nduma Defence of Congo militias everyone makes their own law in the corner they occupy in this large and dense rain forest.
MONUSCO ( The United Nations Mission to the DR Congo ) forces have several bases in area, in particular Otobora. The commander of MONUSCO, General Santos Cruz, promised "serious action" against armed groups who do not surrender their weapons to the authorities of the DR Congo or MONUSCO.

                    Two young men pretending to repair a hole in the Walikale-Hombo NR3 road ( Photo Charly Kasereka )

DR Congo: " The make-up hides the bruises and the tears so they never show ".

Chantal Faida  at Radio Netherlands worldwide reports:

Congolese media makes women invisible

This is at least the position of the Congolese Union of Women Media ( UCOFEM ), which relies on its own figures. "The media can help to reinforce inequalities, disseminating gender stereotypes, as they can help to eradicate them by promoting less anarchic and more multidimensional female models in accordance with the reality of women in the twenty-first century," says Evelyne Luyelo Coordinator the UCOFEM.

I would expect a lot more women in the DR Congo to enter the media but the issue will not go away when that happens if the western model is followed. The glass ceiling is very much a fact of life in western media. 

" The facts and figures speak for themselves. The Daily Star is the only national daily newspaper in the UK edited by a woman, Dawn Neesom, in 2013. Women are still noticeably in the minority in the top journalistic roles, despite making up the majority of journalism students."

Gender stereotypes

The organization released late September 2013 simultaneously in Kinshasa and Goma a thorough and rich in information report entitled " The image of women in the media in the DRC " . The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the eradication of gender stereotypes, to promote gender relations based on equality and mutual respect. The UCOFEM want to restore the gender balance in reference sources and information to enhance the talent of women, and finally, she wishes that a gender perspective is adopted in the Congolese media circles.

In the eastern DR Congo the " issue of stereotypes " is it would seem almost a licence to rape murder women for no other reason than it is crime that can be committed with impunity.

Engaged in the promotion of gender equality in and through the media, UCOFEM wants to see women and men participate equitably in the management of public and private life. For the effectiveness of its action, it gave many media organizations, in addition to the full report, a guide to illustrate the correct actions (to do) and incorrect (to avoid) in the information processing point of view of gender equality.

I would have thought it was fairly self explanatory if they need a report then it probably isn't going to happen.

"Not enough efforts to impose their skills"
While welcoming the initiative very encouraging and the unprecedented UCOFEM Justin Luba, a manager of a community radio Goma, is that "women journalists do not provide enough efforts to impose their skills in editorial meetings, and more rarely they are considering proposing topics on issues that affect them directly. "

A brave man Justine Luba. I sure as hell wouldn't dare make such a statement. 

However, it recognizes the responsibility of the male sex: "We love the most often ease In the quest for sources, references, and processing information very hot, we use our address books made in most. cases of men - and for all subjects - as if they were multitasking This report therefore timely and provocative, " he concludes.

Actually the established wisdom is that only women can multitask.

Women, only for bad news
to believe the report UCOFEM, recurrences of unequal representation in the media are legion. An excerpt clearly described the facts: "Women are rarely arrested as expert sources or as celebrities And while under-represented in the most important roles, women receive media attention more often than men. as victims of violence, so the bad news . "

A peculiarity of this thesis reinforces gender inequality: "These are the men who talk about gender violence women do not speak very little or almost on practices that put their lives in danger like." Femicide ", rape , sexual harassment or domestic violence. media contribute to reinforce traditional gender roles, and therefore help to progress towards gender equality. "

Although recently, the press has seen an increase in the number of women journalists, it does not necessarily guarantee a greater number of female sources. The authors of the report on the image of women in the DRC concluded: "Many women do not give more women sources Having a critical mass of women in media companies does not mean that women will have more. voice in the media. Gender equality is not a priority in the DRC. "

The truth is that if the DR Congo and particularly the eastern DR Congo want to bring about stability and some sort of new normality then involving women in the governance and power structures formal and informal is a must. 

DR Congo: "And I don't give a damn for the Fleet Street aficionados. "

Reporters sans Frontières (Paris) Reports

COVERAGE OF ARMY COLONEL’S MURDER IN NORD-KIVU CENSORED

                                                         Colonel Mamadou Ndala

Reporters Without Borders condemns attempts by military and civilian officials in the eastern province of Nord-Kivu to prevent journalists from covering the spectacular murder of an army colonel, Mamadou Ndala, in an ambush near the city of Beni on 2 January.

Several journalists in Beni and the neighbouring Butembo region have been the targets of intimidation attempts in the course of trying to report on the murder.

There are a huge number of question marks over Colonel Ndala's death. Officially it was the result of an ADF ( Allied Democratic Forces ) ambush ( Ugandan Muslim rebels). Goma journalist and blogger Chantal Faida blogs: 

" Since then, this term refers to the traitors working inside for the enemy. Their modus operandi is known: espionage, propaganda, destabilization attempts and attacks. The eastern DR Congo is plagued by repeated wars. It is strangled by armed groups, the main ones: M23 (folded in Uganda), FDLR, ADF / NALU and nebulous "MAIMAI" These are the four groups mentioned columns. And the fifth is within the regular army. If this were not the case, why the general Olenga he speaks often of the "purification" of the troops?Some cases of unsolved murders corroborate this theory of the existence of the "fifth column" within the FARDC."

Chantal is a very sensible commentator and I suggest if she is asking questions alongside Reporters without Borders then FARDC has a major problem developing. Did elements of the Congolese Army kill Colonel Ndala ?

“We condemn the threats that civilian and military officials have made against journalists covering Col. Ndala’s murder and the ongoing investigation,” Reporters Without Borders said.

This time last year I would have and did described FARDC as bunch of thieves and rapists. That changed during the course of last year and we started to see the emergence of a professional military. Jason Stearns at Congo Siasa blogs:   

" In addition, the army is now giving more prominence to the commando battalions, the 321 and 322 trained by the Belgians (a third is currently being trained in Kindu), the 391 trained by the Americans, and one by the Chinese (on the northern front line in Tongo). During the operations last year, these battalions had been mismanaged by the military hierarchy, which dismantled them, sent them to areas where there was little to do, and "sabotaged them by sending them into battle without supplies or knowledge of the terrain," according to one Belgian trainer."

In other words this is a huge step backwards on the part of FARDC.

“The media must be allowed to do investigative reporting and to talk freely about this case without being constantly harassed. Censuring the media’s coverage of this murder just draws attention to the behind-the-scenes rivalries that are affecting the investigation.”

Stearns concludes:

" Of course, the problems of the Congolese army are far from over. As argued here before, the real challenge of army reform lies in tackling the culture of patronage, racketeering and impunity that undermines military discipline and any sense of hierarchy in the armed forces."

Reporters Without Borders added: “We urge the military high command to order their officers to stop this intimidation and we call on the civilian authorities to formally tell the media that they can safely talk about Col. Ndala’s murder, because this information is in the public interest.”

That is a huge understatement. FARDC along with MONUSCO and its offshoot the Intervention ( Africa ) Brigade are tasked with cleaning out the rebels holed up in the East and if FARDC have personnel that are not signed up to this objective then they should be dismissed. Keeping the Eastern DR Congo public and the International Community ( who are funding these operations ) informed of progress and setbacks is an obligation FARDC can't just ignore as inconvenient.

Col. Olivier Amuli, the spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in Nord-Kivu, publicly threatened two journalists – Austere Malivika of Voice of America and Keny Katombe of Reuters – on 15 January.

What a bloody moron. Again from Jason Stearns:

" Both sources agreed that the departure of dozens of senior officers to Kinshasa––where around 120 officers have been sitting around in hotels in January, ostensibly for training seminars, but in reality awaiting redeployment––helped, as well. "These officers had been embezzling funds and running parallel chains of command. Their departure has simplified the military hierarchy." The Congolese intelligence officer argued: "Some of these people had been in collaboration with our enemies. Getting them out of here helped."

He accused them of “sticking their noses into the army’s business,” in particular, trying to cover the army’s operations against the ADF/NALU Ugandan rebels. And he threatened them with the same fate as journalists in other parts of Africa such as Moussa Kaka (imprisoned in Niger) or Ghislaine Dupont and Jean Hélène (murdered in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire respectively).

Colonel Oliver Amuli should be sacked.

This public threat followed several attempts by Col. Amuli to intimidate them by phone, especially as regards video footage that was filmed a few minutes after the attack on Col. Ndala’s convoy, which Amuli wanted to prohibit.

I have watched that footage and I can't see anything in it that would materially hurt the reputation of FARDC. Colonel Amuli on the other hand has damaged the reputation of FARDC beyond belief with his threats to kill journalists. Not only that but Voice of America and Reuters, the man is fool.

When reached by Reporters Without Borders, the FARDC spokesman for the 8th military region denied that any journalists had been threatened and insisted that the armed forces had a “good partnership” with the media.

I don't believe FARDC. 

Beni’s local media has also been affected by the censorship. Col. Dieudonné Muhima asked Beni’s mayor to prevent local reporters from meddling in the case.

Colonel Dieudonné sounds like he is putting his hand up for dismissal as well. FARDC needs to clean up this mess and clean out the dead wood.

On 7 January, Nord-Kivu governor Julien Paluku Kahongya asked the region’s journalists not to cover Col. Ndala’s murder because this was “obstructing the investigation.” He reversed his position at a news conference two days later, after talking to Reporters Without Borders.

Yes...“obstructing the investigation.” , sounds more like compromising the cover up.

Members of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) threatened freelance reporter Alain Wandimoyi and Agence France-Presse stringer Albert Kambale in Butembo on 4 January, accusing them of knowing too much about Col. Ndala’s death and insisting that they surrender the material they had gathered on the case.

You fight bad information with good information as a certain New Zealand blogger often points out. He is right. Suppressing information has only increased speculation and death  threats aimed at journalists attempts to confiscate information, instructing civil authorities to become involved in the cover up is batshit crazy.

Col. Ndala, who headed the 42nd Battalion’s Rapid Reaction Unit, has been posthumously promoted to brigadier-general. The exact circumstances of his death and the identity of those responsible have not yet been established.

The question is will they ever be established, one has to wonder why FARDC are covering up this. If there is a fifth column operating in the army the arrest the pricks and make it it clear that treason will not be tolerated but do it publically.   

He was combatting the ADF/NALU Ugandan rebels at the time of his death and was very popular with the region’s media because he was always very open and ready to talk to them.

Which of course makes the colonels clowns mentioned above look even more stupid and unprofessional.

Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 142nd out of 179 countries in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

I suspect that will decline as a result of this fiasco.

DR Congo: " Yesterday starts tomorrow, tomorrow starts today"

New Times ( Rwanda ) opines

Why North Kivu desires an independent observer

By Pan Butamire

So, the peace deal between the DR Congo and M23 is as dead as dodo. And President Joseph Kabila is cheering, instead of grieving.

It is fairly obvious after the first sentence that we are dealing with a moron unfortunately that isn't his only failing.

The energy that presidents of the regional countries have expended coaxing the two parties into sitting down with them to painstakingly weave out a peace package has come to nought. Suddenly, the carpet was pulled from under their feet and our presidents were left holding on to useless paper.

" Suddenly, the carpet was pulled from under their feet.... " There was actually nothing sudden about the defeat of M23 and the failure of the Kampala peace talks process has been a long drawn out affair. Even more inaccurate is the hilarious image of the presidents of the region painstakingly expending energy on weaving out a peace package. On Friday 15 November 2013 the Security Council's Group of Experts for the DR Congo released their report detailing some of the painstaking energy sapping efforts that have been made by Rwanda and Uganda in their collective efforts to secure peace.  

" The Government of Rwanda continues to violate the arms embargo 

by providing direct military support to the M23 rebels, facilitating 

recruitment, encouraging and facilitating desertions from the armed 

forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and providing arms, 

ammunition, intelligence and political advice. The de facto chain of 

command of M23 includes Gen. Bosco Ntaganda and culminates with the 

Minister of Defence of Rwanda, Gen. James Kabarebe. Following the 

publication of the addendum to its interim report (S/2012/348/Add.1), the 

Group met the Government of Rwanda and took into consideration its 

written response. The Group has, however, found no substantive element 

of its previous findings that it wishes to alter.

 Senior officials of the Government of Uganda have also provided 

support to M23 in the form of direct troop reinforcements in Congolese 

territory, weapons deliveries, technical assistance, joint planning, 

political advice and facilitation of external relations. Units of the 

Ugandan People’s Defence Forces and the Rwandan Defence Forces 

jointly supported M23 in a series of attacks in July 2012 to take over the 

major towns of Rutshuru territory and the Congolese armed forces base 

of Rumangabo. Both Governments have also cooperated to support the 

creation and expansion of the political branch of M23 and have 

consistently advocated on behalf of the rebels. M23 and its allies include 

six sanctioned individuals, some of whom reside in or regularly travel to 

Rwanda and Uganda. "

Let me put it another way Pan Butamire is a fucking liar. Let me go further and point out that New Times Rwanda is a publication that has no place amongst serious media.

But maybe it was our presidents’ fault: they sat down with the wrong party. They should have known that Kabila is a spectator to what goes on in his country. Short of sorting out his country’s problems, there is precious little else they can do for him.

Yes we have seen above the efforts of Uganda and Rwanda when it comes to sorting out the problems of the DR Congo. Make no mistake they are to blame for this situation.

Some of these leaders know his place as a fact. But they also know that, unless they are ready to take on ‘the elephant in the mines’, their hands are tied.

"..their hands are tied." They are tied now and the irony is that they did it to themselves. A few weeks ago I blogged.  

" Let us remember the Intervention Brigade concept grew out of a meeting of the ICGLR ( International Conference Great Lakes Region ) and was put forward by Rwanda and Uganda under the Africa Brigade monicker. The ICGLR loved the idea and then decided that the Brigade would be more effective as part of MONUSCO much to Rwanda's horror, how fucking ironic is that. Rwanda was given enough rope and promptly hung themselves."


Does Kabila know that the peace deal would have empowered him?

This is going to be interesting.

I doubt. Yet there is no doubt that he’d have reaped dividends from the talks. The most important of these dividends is that the talks would have introduced him to his people. It may sound absurd but it’s true: Kabila is stranger to many of his people.

Well with a population of over 75 million there's a surprise.

No one can challenge the fact that there are Congolese who have never heard of Kabila’s name, leave alone seen him – or his less diminutive portrait.  Whoever doubts this let them visit Ituri Forest where some people have never seen an invention called “the radio”.

Yes well a spectacular own goal on the part of Butimire. However thanks to Uganda and Rwanda those people who may or may not have seen a radio have almost certainly seen a gun and have probably been displaced from their homes by thugs armed with said guns supplied by Rwanda and Uganda.  Ironic isn't it that the Pygmies are the people he is referring to and they are now representative of the whole Congolese nation, you may have noticed by now the underlying racism of Butimire ( it gets worse ) his ignorance of the Pygmy nation is also somewhat astounding. 

And so the peace talks would not have ended in Kampala, nor with the M23. Our presidents would have passed to Kabila the wisdom that all his people needed this dialogue.

Yes I have noticed that Kagame is a master of the art of political dialogue and the building of consensus when it comes to people who have views that are different from his. 

He would then go out to listen to all grievances and suggestions of solutions. He would cease to fortify himself and brood in his Kinshasa ivory tower – if not white elephant – and spread out to embrace his population. Thus, Kabila and his people can work out a development agenda.  

As we know, there is no wisdom like that of the people. And so they would advise him to ditch the mineral curse and seal all mines.

Ditching the mineral curse is certainly a part of the solution however I don't think the Congolese people need to close the mines to do that.

" The constant wars that have plagued the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the eastern provinces, have cost millions of civilians their lives. An entire generation has seen little peace between the submission and emergence of countless armed groups that roam the lawless territories. One of the consistent and primary causes of such carnage is the participation of both Rwanda and Uganda in the exploitation of minerals, which are then funnelled down these rebel groups, or used to line the pockets of the corrupt political elite."
Minerals only enrich foreign countries of the north, where industries are thriving and his citizens’ abject poverty is unequivocal evidence. The solution is the land. In a vast country whose every inch is fertile, who needs minerals?

Who indeed needs minerals ? Again from the Security Council Group of Experts point 176 of the report.

" The scale of laundering of Congolese minerals in the Rwandan tagging system is impossible to estimate on the basis of the incidents highlighted above. There is, however, a clear correlation between the shifting predominance of tantalum ore and tungsten ore mining close to the border and the increasing exports by Rwanda of those minerals. Conversely, Rwandan exports of tin ore have declined as smuggling of this ore from the interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has decreased. These trends suggest that the volumes of laundered minerals may be significant."
The Congolese, intelligent as they are elegant, need only concentrate on agriculture. Their cassava, potato, tea, coffee, maize, timber and a variety of their other produce wealth will build their infrastructure and industry. Following which, they can waltz into the family of middle-income countries.

Butimire isn't even attempting to disguise his agenda which is of course the continuing theft of Congolese minerals into the future.

Whereupon, the time to now open up their mines and power their industries after which, they can do what they do best. Sing, enjoy their music and make merry – hopefully, not the way of their soldiers!

That is probably one of the most racist pieces of bullshit I have read. 

Alas, for our poor neighbours, all this has turned into wishful thinking. Kabila and his greedy advisers have thrown the baby out with the bath water. They have squandered the goodwill of the regional presidents who were ready to give of their time.

I don't think the DR Congo would have survived much more goodwill on the part of the regional presidents. The baby he is referring to can only be M23 and the bath water the chaos, rape and murder genocide these killers have inflicted on the Eastern DR Congo on behalf of said regional presidents.

Some of them – precious few, too, unfortunately! – have dealt with Western do-gooders and know how to square up with them. Kabila and his cronies would’ve gained immensely from a communion with these sages.

The obligatory attack on the West. I am guessing that this is a reference to the Security Council, something the fool might have forgotten Rwanda currently holds a seat on.

Now the DRC has no hope of ever extricating itself out of the quandary it’s in, as a theatre of contests among a raft of hungry Western world wolves.

OK here's an idea. I know geographically you can't actually get any further east than New Zealand and Australia isn't too far to our west but that said we would I think fall into the " Western world wolves " category he mentions. When it comes to agriculture there isn't a nation in the world within spitting distance of New Zealand similarly when it comes to mining the Aussies are in a class of their own.  I think the Congolese might well prefer us to assist them developing their agricultural and mining sectors ( not to mention tourism which we are bloody good at as well ) wolves though we have been branded, to the Crocodiles who have inflicted so much misery there to date. 

It’s not enough for the Western powers to watch through satellites and drones and make sure that this status quo is not interfered with. They have deployed special envoys who have pitched tent on the ground, to instantly report on the slightest threat.

You left us very little choice. When you inflict a genocide on a nation do you expect us to stand by, blind once again. It is of course not just the west, the eyes of the world are watching you. We will not be Blind This Time.  

But, so far, there is no threat. The bothersome pest that threatened to be one has been dealt a terminal blow. M23, Tutsi-led, therefore synonymous with having a stubbornly inquisitive streak, has been vanquished.

Again the racism. The appalling thing is that Rwanda has not learnt from the genocide inflicted on the Tutsi and seem determined to avenge that by murdering millions of Congolese who had nothing to do with it. Had this fool used column in New Times to call on the Congolese Army ( FARDC ) MONUSCO and the Intervention ( African ) Brigade having defeated M23 to turn its attention and guns on the FDLR the perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide he would have had not only my support but that of the world.   

All should be happy. After all, it was Rwanda/Uganda-backed. If anybody wants evidence, there is raping to imagine and there are child-soldiers to fabricate.

That is a disgusting lie. There is no fabrication and make no mistake Joseph Goebbels kindred spirit Butimire knows that it is a lie.
DRC is now at peace with itself, as Kabila’s benefactors and guardians wanted it.

Yet neighbours, ever caring souls, are concerned. Now that the Western media, rights groups, charity and other organisations have evacuated, satisfied that the enemy is no more, no one knows what’s happening in North Kivu.

I despise Butimire for his racism and his lying but I almost pity him for his stupidity if he really believes the west is going to abandon the eastern DR Congo to the brutality of Rwanda. It is over Rwanda you are finished in the DR Congo. The fool has contradicted himself within a few sentences complaining of the presence of envoys pitching tents and drones while telling us the western aid organisations have gone. They haven't but and it isn't a small but, the fool is blinded by his own racism, the Congolese don't need us to tell the world what is happening in the Kivus. Chantal Faida, Charly Kasereka are far better journalists / bloggers than he will ever be, they tell the truth and both are from the North Kivu province. I haven't even scratched the surface but Alex Engwete has his finger on so many pulses I find it just about impossible to keep up. 
The whole area has become a black hole. Our regional media, ever dependent on Western media feeds, is none the wiser either.

He really is a fucking fool.

Everybody remembers that there were reports of looting by the Congolese army on entering Bunagana, near Uganda. The way the reports quickly disappeared, however, there is no telling if they were not immediately quashed.

Actually I didn't see a single report along those lines I saw many about the locals greeting the arrival of FARDC and subsequent reports about the discovery of mass graves in former M23 controlled territory.  Why ? The Congolese army didn't loot they liberated.

Then there were reports of reprisals against the relatives of M23 fighters, which equally quickly vanished.

Again I didn't see any and the problem is that Butimire has lied so often in this New Times opinion piece that if he told me fish lived in the sea I wouldn't believe him with out independent verification.

The way Kabila is spectator to his country’s affairs is the way he is, to his army. So, knowing “his” army, who can believe that it is now miraculously disciplined? There is strong reason to fear for the lives of relatives of M23 fighters still in the area.

Western powers keeping guard over DRC cannot be trusted to care for them. Nor can their weapon of mass destruction (WMD, otherwise ‘acronymed’ as MONUSCO).

Pan Butimire you are a liar and a fool, even worse you are a racist.

DR Congo: M23. It is over.

The BBC reports

DR Congo M23 rebels 'all but finished', says UN

                                                            Government forces celebrate the capture of Rumangabo

Martin Kobler said the M23 had abandoned most military positions in the east and was confined to a small triangle close to the Rwandan border.

A fifth rebel-held area in a week fell to government forces on Monday.

On a personal note this was a huge relief, yesterday I saw Charly Kasereka's Facebook post of an article by Radio Okapi ( I have no idea if he authored it or not as it isn't bylined )  having read the translated article I concluded M23 were finished and went looking for something to support my conclusion, there was nothing other than re-reporting of the Radio Okapi report and other Congo watchers were either asleep or biding their time. What the hell to do ?

I blogged it and predicted the military end of M23 had arrived. I have been suggesting that this was inevitable on this blog for some time but making the call was one of the most difficult blogging decisions I have had to make. Later in the evening and again on Facebook Chantal Faida Mulenga-byuma another Gomatrician  like Charly made a status update.

" DRC, the war is over. The victory returns to the Congolese population that has endured all these sufferings. Long was the night, the day eventually get up. PEACE "

The translation by Bing leaves a lot to be desired but Chantal's meaning is obvious. My confidence in my prediction grew accordingly.

The rebels say that their withdrawals are temporary.

" So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence." Sun Tzu Sun Tzu wrote that some 2500 years ago and I would suggest it is as relevant today as it was when he wrote. It is something I hope the Rwandan military think about as well.

Mr Kobler told the UN Security Council by video-link: "It is practically the military end of the M23."

He said the rebels had abandoned a key position on Mount Hehu near the Rwandan border.

About a week back I branded M23 " The Comedians of the Congo " it was largely brought about by the unceasing upbeat press releases that were appearing on what I have been reliably informed is a M23 website, Congo DRC News . In the British WW I comedy Blackadder goes forth they joke about the mindless optimism card, it is almost as though M23 were following that script. Today the website is morbid which is appropriate and the companion Facebook page is if anything worse. It is at this level.

" Axelle was forced to have sex with a dog which she did -"

After the UN meeting, French ambassador Gerard Araud said he hoped there would now be talks between the rebels and the government.

He said: "Mr Kobler has briefed us and basically he told us that we are witnessing the military end of the M23.

"So I think it's a positive development of course and there was a general agreement that now we should go back to the table of negotiation in Kampala."

Actually no. There is nothing to negotiate other than the formal surrender. The Government of DR Congo must above all keep faith with their citizens in the eastern DR Congo, they have borne the brunt of the depredations inflicted by M23. They have a right to justice, it would however be better if that justice was delivered by the international community at the Hague.   

Peace talks between the government and M23, hosted by neighbouring Uganda, broke down last week.

There had previously been about two months of relative calm in eastern DR Congo.

There are many other armed groups and it would be better that the M23 situation is dealt with fast, hence my preference for the ICC. FARDC and the Intervention Brigade and for that matter the government need to focus on the future and making that future a prosperous one with economic development and security, the other armed groups be they FDLR, ADF or Mai Mai need neutralising.  

'Retreating rebels'

Cheering crowds reportedly welcomed government troops on Monday as they entered Rumangabo town, where the latest M23 base to fall was located.

The government is re-establishing its rule there, said North Kivu province governor Julien Palukui.

"We have just held two meetings in order to discuss how to uplift the population... and we are announcing the restoration of the civil service within the next 24 hours,'' he added.

Rumangabo - about 50km (30 miles) north of Goma, the main city in eastern DR Congo - had one of the three biggest military bases in DR Congo before it fell to the rebels last year.

There is no doubt that the government forces have achieved huge victories over the rebels, says the BBC's Maud Jullien in the capital, Kinshasa.

The UN has deployed a new intervention brigade to eastern DR Congo with a stronger mandate to confront armed groups.

On Sunday, the UN mission in DR Congo, Monusco, said a Tanzanian peacekeeper was killed during fighting with the M23 in the town of Kiwanja.

"The soldier died while protecting the people of Kiwanja," Monusco said in a statement.

That man died for us, he died bring the justice of the world to the people of the DR Congo, we owe him and his colleagues who have died a debt we can never repay, if the world gets this right then we will at least go a small way to honour his sacrifice.  

The military success in Rumangabo followed the capture of four other areas - Kiwanja, Rutshuru, Buhumba and Kibumba - since the weekend, the army said.

M23 officials in Uganda said their fighters had retreated because government and UN forces had launched a joint assault, reports the BBC's Ignatius Bahizi from Uganda's capital, Kampala.

Rebel forces were outnumbered, they said.

M23 fighters planned to regroup before making their next move, the officials added.

There will be no next move. It is over.

At least 800,000 people have fled their homes in DR Congo since the M23 launched its rebellion in April 2012, the UN humanitarian agency, Ocha, says.

The rebels briefly occupied eastern DR Congo's main town, Goma, in November 2012 before pulling out under international pressure.

The M23 are mainly ethnic Tutsis, like most of Rwanda's leaders.

Thinking of this in terms of ethnicity is probably the biggest problem, the discrimination Tutsi and those of Tutsi decent face is an issue that needs to be sorted by the DR Congo government.

Rwanda and Uganda deny persistent Congolese and UN allegations that the neighbours are backing the rebel forces.

Eastern DR Congo has been wracked by conflict since 1994, when Hutu militias fled across the border from Rwanda after carrying out a genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

It is time to stop the killing.