To defeat the 'real' enemy in the Democratic Republic of Congo

BY MAYAL TSHIABUILA

At This writing the Democratic Republic of Congo is in the midst of a major humanitarian crisis. More than 250,000 people have been driven from their homes, and others have been raped or brutally murdered in the clashes between the Tutsi-dominated rebel movement (CNDP), led by renegade General Laurent Nkunda, and the government. As when "In the News" last convered the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): the Kivu provinces are still the focus for the war ("The Kivu provinces: Finding peace when war is at your back door, February 18, 2008). Then, as now, these provinces continue to be convenient for cross-border incursions by rebels and by those who participated in the Rwandan genocide. The rebels are also eager to hold on to this area because it is rich in valuable resources.

United Nations troops in the country are outnumbered and have been hindered by lack of a clear sense of mission among the European foreign ministers. Corruption and ineptitude in the national government have also been obstacles.

On the surface, the argument is that Nkunda's army is there to protect the Congolese Tutsi minority from the Rwandan Hutu militia who found refuge in the DRC after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Its real purpose, however, is to destablize the legally elected government and constitution chosen by the people, and to reshape it so that Tutsis have a leading role. With all of these issues in mind, in addition to the humanitarian aspects of the situation, prayer is urgently needed.