It is rather unfortunate to note that the international community has completely failed to call a spade a spade whenever they make statements about the conflict in Congo. A case in point is the recent flare-up of hostilities between the coalition FARDC, FDLR, and Mai Mai factions.
The international media and the international community have deliberately avoided naming Tshisekedi as the aggressor who ordered his army and terrorist partners like FDLR to violate a ceasefire called by the AU, ICGLR, and the East African Community after months of belligerent utterances that ignored regional efforts to bring sustainable peace.
The international community has deliberately refused to call the Congo conflict what it is – an internal matter whose root cause lies in the negligence and incompetence of its leaders. By allowing FDLR, a genocidal group designated as a terrorist outfit by the United States of America to sow seeds of genocide ideology, ethnic animosity, and hatred the Congolese leaders were not aspiring for peace.
The international community knows more than anyone else, that Congo is host to more than 100 dangerous armed groups, many of which are sponsored by the Congolese national army or have senior political and army officials as godfathers. The fixation with the M23 as if they are the only armed group raises suspicion. If anyone should fight armed groups in Congo, FDLR should be on top of the list. Unfortunately, these days they are only mentioned in passing!
Last but not least, the international community has deliberately refused to accept that the M23 are fighting for a legitimate cause, after the Congolese leaders decided to treat Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese as second-class citizens and even worse, as foreigners.
Thousands of Rwandaphone Congolese are living as refugees outside DRC. It is beyond comprehension that the international community accepts to consider Congolese leaders portraying themselves as victims yet they are the ones who have caused all the instability being experienced in the east of the country. Truth be told, the M23 have managed to rout FARDC because they are more disciplined than them. The international community, unfortunately, finds it convenient to demonize the rebel group even when they know the accusations are far from reality on the ground.
Unless the international community shuns the hypocrisy and looks the Congolese leaders in the eye to tell them boldly that they are the root cause of the conflict and should accept an inter-Congolese dialogue, all other efforts will be a futile waste of time.
Leave a Reply