Congo on verge of war, says think-tank
Jul 07, 2007
KINSHASA - Congo is “in danger†with fresh violence, war threats and weak institutions undermining the gains of landmark polls, a leading think-tank warned on Thursday.
KINSHASA - Congo is “in danger†with fresh violence, war threats and weak institutions undermining the gains of landmark polls, a leading think-tank warned on Thursday.
The International Crisis Group (ICG) said Congo’s government, formed after last year’s elections, the first free poll in four decades, had failed to consolidate the peace process.
“An unimpressive first half-year of Congo’s elected government has left the peace process in danger, especially in the volatile east, and democracy fragile,†the report said.
“A return to full-scale war is unlikely but violence in Bas-Congo and Kinshasa in early 2007 with over 400 people killed and renewed threats of war in the Kivus (an eastern region) show the country’s fragility,†the study said.
The ICG called for “diplomacy and dialogue†with neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda, which had supported Congolese rebels in the flashpoint Kivu region.
It criticised President Joseph Kabila and Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga for failing to tackle pressing security needs in the sprawling mineral-rich country, ravaged by decades of war and plunder.
It said that “governing institutions remain weak, abusive or non-existent,†and underscored the fact that “the national army is still the country’s worst human rights abuser.â€
“The new government’s relations with the opposition have deteriorated sharply, raising the possibility of a drift to authoritarianism and urban unrest in the west,†it continued.
And in the restive east, “militias continue to clash with the weak national army ... displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians each year, many of whom succumb to hunger and disease.â€
The ICG, a non-governmental organisation which aims to prevent or resolve deadly conflicts, said Kabila’s election last year on a strong mandate should have seen him do much more to bring peace to the country.
“The last months have seen the rapid paralysis of the state machinery, increased authoritarian tendencies and no decisive progress in the restoration of peace in the Kivus,†said David Mugnier, ICG’s Central Africa project director.
The report said Kabila and Gizenga “need to acknowledge the shortcomings of the last months and make a fresh start by promoting a culture of dialogue and accountability and strengthening cooperation with the UN mission and the wider international community.â€
The think-tank called upon Kabila to mend fences with his defeated presidential rival Jean-Pierre Bemba, who left Kinshasa in April under the protection of UN armoured vehicles.
The forces of Bemba, a former vice-president, had been routed three weeks earlier in violent clashes with the army, which remained loyal to Kabila.
Bemba “must have his security guaranteed so he can return promptly,†the ICG said.
It stressed that “parliament, courts and the media must be free to serve as checks against a worrying authoritarian drift†and urged better management of the country’s huge natural resources and mineral wealth to nurse the economy back to health.
The ICG warned that the international community could make their aid conditional on reforms and good governance and adopt a carrot-and-stick policy.
“Without clear signs of improvement before year’s end, donor support will start shifting to other post-conflict theatres, and Congo could lose the peace-building gains of the past five years,†said ICG’s Africa director Francois Gringon.
AFP
The International Crisis Group (ICG) said Congo’s government, formed after last year’s elections, the first free poll in four decades, had failed to consolidate the peace process.
“An unimpressive first half-year of Congo’s elected government has left the peace process in danger, especially in the volatile east, and democracy fragile,†the report said.
“A return to full-scale war is unlikely but violence in Bas-Congo and Kinshasa in early 2007 with over 400 people killed and renewed threats of war in the Kivus (an eastern region) show the country’s fragility,†the study said.
The ICG called for “diplomacy and dialogue†with neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda, which had supported Congolese rebels in the flashpoint Kivu region.
It criticised President Joseph Kabila and Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga for failing to tackle pressing security needs in the sprawling mineral-rich country, ravaged by decades of war and plunder.
It said that “governing institutions remain weak, abusive or non-existent,†and underscored the fact that “the national army is still the country’s worst human rights abuser.â€
“The new government’s relations with the opposition have deteriorated sharply, raising the possibility of a drift to authoritarianism and urban unrest in the west,†it continued.
And in the restive east, “militias continue to clash with the weak national army ... displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians each year, many of whom succumb to hunger and disease.â€
The ICG, a non-governmental organisation which aims to prevent or resolve deadly conflicts, said Kabila’s election last year on a strong mandate should have seen him do much more to bring peace to the country.
“The last months have seen the rapid paralysis of the state machinery, increased authoritarian tendencies and no decisive progress in the restoration of peace in the Kivus,†said David Mugnier, ICG’s Central Africa project director.
The report said Kabila and Gizenga “need to acknowledge the shortcomings of the last months and make a fresh start by promoting a culture of dialogue and accountability and strengthening cooperation with the UN mission and the wider international community.â€
The think-tank called upon Kabila to mend fences with his defeated presidential rival Jean-Pierre Bemba, who left Kinshasa in April under the protection of UN armoured vehicles.
The forces of Bemba, a former vice-president, had been routed three weeks earlier in violent clashes with the army, which remained loyal to Kabila.
Bemba “must have his security guaranteed so he can return promptly,†the ICG said.
It stressed that “parliament, courts and the media must be free to serve as checks against a worrying authoritarian drift†and urged better management of the country’s huge natural resources and mineral wealth to nurse the economy back to health.
The ICG warned that the international community could make their aid conditional on reforms and good governance and adopt a carrot-and-stick policy.
“Without clear signs of improvement before year’s end, donor support will start shifting to other post-conflict theatres, and Congo could lose the peace-building gains of the past five years,†said ICG’s Africa director Francois Gringon.
AFP