Violence in DR Congo and Great Lakes region gets all-out attention from the UN Security Council

Report by DipoNews.com dated Thursday, 25 July 2013:

Violence in the DRC and Great Lakes region gets all-out attention from the UNSC

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the topic of multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC)'s meetings this month: On July 11, Under-Secretary-General of Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous introduced the latest UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) report; on July 19, the Group of Experts (GoE) sent its interim report to the DRC Sanctions Committee; and on July 22, Azerbaijani Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev and Chair of this Committee presented his conclusions to the UNSC.

The upsurge in violence in the DRC and the Great Lakes region between the UN/Congolese troops and several armed groups including the March 23 Movement (M23), the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF-NALU) and the Mayi Mayi Kata-Katanga prompted a UNSC ministerial on July 25 whose presidential statement reiterated the international community's support for the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework agreed on February 24.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (see his remarks and report), the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, and Mr. Ban's Special Envoy for the Great  Lakes region, Mary Robinson, briefed the UNSC on their trip to the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda on May 22-24. The UNSC welcomed the announcement made by the World Bank of USD 1 bn in planned funding for development projects in the Great Lakes region and commended "the personal diplomatic engagement" of SG Ban and reaffirmed its strong support to Mrs Robinson who was encouraged "to lead, coordinate and assess" the implementation of national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework in view of the next meeting of the "11+4" Regional Oversight Mechanism scheduled for September.

The meeting took place amid growing fears voiced by humanitarian organizations about a possible UN-led military offensive which could make the humanitarian situation worse. The diplomats focused on Resolution 2098 and the further implementation of the decision to create a 3,000-strong intervention brigade as part of the MONUSCO. Also, the regional oversight mechanism of the PSC Framework held its first meeting in Addis Ababa on May 26 and welcomed the establishment of a technical support committee to define regional benchmark, several days after the M23 carried out attacks in the Mutaho area, in the vicinity of Goma.

Additional attacks targeted the Congolese army on July 11 in Kamango and the MONUSCO on July 14 along the Muba-Kamango axis at the initiative of the ADF-NALU,   which resulted in several casualties and prompted over 60,000 refugees to flee to neighboring Uganda. Besides, the UNSC took note that hundreds of M23 combatants, including individuals listed by the UN sanctions regime concerning the DRC, fled from the DRC into Rwanda on March 18, however appreciating the initial steps swiftly taken by the government of Rwanda to handle this situation.

Once again, the UNSC demanded that all the armed groups cease immediately all forms of violence and fully disband and disarm. According to French Minister delegate for development Pascal Canfin, "these attacks severely compromised regional and international efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the Great Lakes region," that's why France and other countries have urged the "swift implementation" of the MONUSCO intervention brigade. 

Read more
Renewed fears on DRC's stability as M23 advances towards Goma, civilians flee to Uganda
Rwanda and South Korea (ROK) increase bilateral cooperation, sign one Development agreement

Click on the links at source: 
http://www.diplonews.com/intro/2013/20130726_UNSCFocusOnDRC.php

DR Congo: Heavy fighting has resumed between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group in the Mutaho-Kibati area, near Goma, in N. Kivu Province

HEAVY fighting has resumed between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group in the Mutaho-Kibati area, near Goma, in N. Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Excerpt from 22 July 2013 Daily Press Briefing by the UN's Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General:

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [MONUSCO] reports that heavy fighting has resumed between the Congolese army and the M23 [23 March Movement] armed group in the Mutaho-Kibati area, near Goma, in North Kivu Province.  

The Mission, MONUSCO, adds that after exchanging intermittent fire over the weekend, both sides are now using small arms, mortars and rockets.  The Mission reiterates its call for restraint and its peacekeepers in the area remain on high alert.

Source:  http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2013/db130722.doc.htm
- - -

Further Reading

Sudan files complaint to AU against Uganda's support for rebels        
KHARTOUM, Sudan - 20 July 2013 (Xinhua) -- Sudan has filed a complaint to the African Union (AU) against Uganda over its support for rebel insurgency against Khartoum, Almeghar Alsyasi daily reported Saturday.  The paper quoted Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman as saying that the Sudanese government "is waiting for the AU's response to its complaint."
Full story at Uganda Watch Sunday 21 July 2013:
http://ugandawatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/sudan-files-complaint-to-au-against.html

- - -

URGENT: South Sudan army says it and UN unable to protect civilians in Jonglei State. Western powers are worried the violence will escalate into full civil war. (UPDATE 1: Added YouTube video link)
Full story at Sudan Watch, Thursday 18 July 2013:
http://sudanwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/urgent-south-sudan-army-says-it-and-un.html
- - -

DR Congo:  Over 30,000 Congolese flee rebel attacks to Uganda: UN
KAMPALA, Uganda (AFP) 13 July 2013 –  More than 30,000 refugees from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo fleeing a rebel attack on the town of Kamango have arrived in neighbouring Uganda, UN officials said on Saturday...
Full story at Congo Watch, Monday 22 July 2013:
http://congowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/dr-congo-over-30000-congolese-flee.html
- - -

CAR:  Communiqué of the AU PSC on the situation in the CAR
Communiqué of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 386th meeting on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) [Last Updated on Friday 19 July 2013]:  The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 386th meeting held on 19 July 2013, adopted the following decision on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR)...
Full story at:  Congo Watch, Friday 19 July 2013
http://congowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/car-communique-of-au-psc-on-situation.html
- - -

DR Congo: Over 30,000 Congolese flee rebel attacks to Uganda: UN

Report by AFP dated 13 July 2013, reprinted by Fox News.com:

Over 30,000 Congolese flee rebel attacks to Uganda: UN

KAMPALA, Uganda (AFP) 13 July 2013 –  More than 30,000 refugees from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo fleeing a rebel attack on the town of Kamango have arrived in neighbouring Uganda, UN officials said on Saturday.

Streams of refugees have crossed the border into western Uganda's Bundibugyo district since the attack on Thursday.

United Nations refugee agency official Karen Ringuette said that as of late Friday, more than 30,000 had entered Uganda, updating a previous tally of at least 23,000.

So far, there had been no further updates of numbers arrived on Saturday, Ringuette added.

The town of Kamango in the northernmost part of North Kivu province was attacked and briefly occupied Thursday by a Ugandan-led rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

Ugandan army spokesman Paddy Ankunda said Saturday that troops have been sent to reinforce positions along the border with Congo.

"We have deployed enough forces on our common border to ensure these terrorists (ADF) do not cross the line, because Uganda is their target," Ankunda told AFP.

"We are in contact with Congolese army and the situation is getting back to normal, but people have continued to enter Uganda fearing the rebels will kill them."

The ADF was formed in the mid-1990s in the Rwenzori mountains in western Uganda, close to the DR Congo border.

Part of the ADF is now based in DR Congo after Ugandan government forces attacked their bases two years ago.

Photo:  A mother carries her baby at Rwamwanja refugee camp in western Uganda on February 28, 2013. More than 30,000 refugees from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo fleeing a rebel attack on the town of Kamango have arrived in neighbouring Uganda, UN officials have said. (AFP/File)

Source:  http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/13/over-30000-congolese-flee-rebel-attacks-to-uganda-un/

CAR: Communiqué of the AU PSC on the situation in the CAR

Communiqué of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 386th meeting on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) [Last Updated on Friday 19 July 2013]:

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 386th meeting held on 19 July 2013, adopted the following decision on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR)

Council,

1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) [PSC/PR/2(CCCLXXXV)], as well as of the statement made by the Commissioner for Peace and Security. Council also takes note of the statements made by the Representatives of Rwanda, the Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the United Nations, the European Union, France, United-Kingdom and the United States of America;

2. Recalls its previous communiqués and press statements on the situation in the CAR, especially communiqué PSC/PR/COMM/1.(CCCLXXX) adopted at its 380th meeting held on 17 June 2013, in which Council supported, in principle, the establishment of an International Support Mission in Central Africa (AFISM-CAR) for the period of the transition as articulated in the Roadmap;

3. Expresses deep concern at the prevailing social, economic and humanitarian situation in CAR;

4. Welcomes the initiatives taken by the Commission in follow-up to communiqué PSC/PR/COMM/1.(CCCLXXX) and commends, in this regard, the conclusions of the technical meeting held in Addis Ababa from 2 to 5 July 2013 , which resulted in an agreement on the draft Concept of Operations for the AFISM-CAR;

5. Welcomes further the successful holding of the second meeting of the International Contact Group on the CAR (ICG-CAR), and appeals to all stakeholders to work towards the effective implementation of its conclusions;

6. Decides, on the basis of the concept of operations, annexed to the report of the Chairperson of the Commission, to authorize the deployment, for an initial period of six months, of AFISM-CAR, which will have a total strength of 3 652, including 3 500 uniformed personnel (2,475 for the military component and 1,025 for the police component) and 152 civilians, the nucleus of which will be constituted by the contingents currently serving in MICOPAX, in order to contribute to: (i) the protection of civilians and the restoration of security and public order, through the implementation of appropriate measures; (ii) the stabilization of the country and the restoration of the authority of the central Government; (iii) the reform and restructuring of the defense and security sector; and (iv) the creation of conditions conducive for the provision of humanitarian assistance to population in need;

7. Requests the Commission to continue its consultations with the General Secretariat of ECCAS in order to finalize all aspects of the transition from the MICOPAX to AFISM-CAR, which will take effect from 1 August 2013;

8. Urges the United Nations Security Council, the European Union (EU) through the Africa Peace Facility, and bilateral partners to lend their full support to the AU and ECCAS to facilitate the transformation of MICOPAX into AFISM-CAR and the effective functioning of AFISM-CAR through the provision of the necessary financial, logistical and technical support;

9. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to forward this communiqué and the attached CONOPS to the UN Secretary-General for their circulation to the Security Council for appropriate action;

10. Reiterates its call for the mobilization of humanitarian and socio-economic assistance that is commensurate with the problems facing the CAR. In this regard, Council stresses the urgency of the speedy operationalization of the Trust Fund agreed to during the inaugural meeting of the ICG-RCA, held in Brazzaville on 3 May 2013;

11. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Source:  http://www.peaceau.org/en/article/communique-of-the-peace-and-security-council-of-the-african-union-au-at-its-386th-meeting-on-the-situation-in-the-central-african-republic-car

Central African Republic: Seleka rebel coalition take capital Bangui - 170,000 displaced in CAR and others fleeing to Chad and DR Congo - CAR President Bozize is said to have fled to DR Congo (UPDATE 1: CAR president flees to Cameroon)

ACCORDING to the below copied report from Sky News, the president of the Central African Republic (CAR) has fled to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the Seleka rebel coalition seizes the CAR's capital city Bangui:  France announced on Sunday afternoon (24 March) it would be sending another 350 troops to CAR to join the 250 already there.  It is expected that the extra troops may be redeployed from Mali, where France has been fighting an Islamist insurgency.  The French have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the deteriorating situation.  Note that the report ends by saying:  "CAR regularly languishes closes to the bottom of the lists of the world's poorest countries despite extensive deposits of uranium, crude oil, gold and diamonds".

Also, according to the below copied report from BBC News, a Paris-based rebel spokesman Eric Massi told AFP news agency that the rebels had secured Bangui and military camps and were deploying across the capital "to launch security operations and prevent looting".  But Amy Martin of the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, told the BBC World Service that looting was happening - and more than 170,000 estimated to have been displaced within CAR and others fleeing to Chad and the DRC.   South African peacekeepers in CAR to support government troops suffered casualties but failed to stop the rebel advance.  Observers say CAR's President Francois Bozize kept his army weak because he was afraid of a military coup.  He came to power himself in a coup in 2003.  CAR, which has a population of about 4.5 million, has been hit by a series of rebellions since independence from France in 1960.

Report from SKY News, published on Sunday, 24 March 2013; 1:21pm UK.  Copy in full:
Central African Republic:  Rebels Take Capital

• The President of the poor but resource-rich central African state is forced to flee as the Seleka rebel coalition seizes Bangui.

• Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken control of the capital and forced the president to flee, according to sources.

The Seleka rebel coalition said it had seized Bangui and that President Francois Bozize had escaped to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

There was no independent confirmation, but the account was confirmed by government officials on Sunday morning.

Eric Massi, a spokesman for Seleka, told Reuters by telephone from Paris: "The palace has just fallen. We have the palace."

Presidency spokesman Gaston Mackouzangba confirmed: "The rebels control the town. I hope there will not be any reprisals."

France announced on Sunday afternoon it would be sending another 350 troops to the country to join the 250 already there.

The rebels fought their way to the northern suburbs of the riverside capital late on Saturday before an overnight lull in the fighting.

Residents said heavy weapons fire erupted across the city around 8am local time (0700 GMT) on Sunday.

Colonel Djouma Narkoyo, a Seleka spokesman in Bangui, told the AFP newswire the rebels were planning to move on to the national radio station where rebel leader Michel Djotodia would make an address.
Col Narkoyo said: "Today will be decisive. We call on our brothers in FACA (the Central African army) to lay down their arms."

Seleka had seized several towns across Central African Republic (CAR) in December but stopped their advance and signed a peace accord with the government.

A week ago, the two-month-old peace deal collapsed as the rebels in the notoriously unstable but resource-rich former French colony ignored a call for talks to avoid a "bloodbath".

The conflict sent terrified residents of Bangui fleeing into the surrounding countryside.

One witness told AFP:  "We heard gunfire everywhere in the city centre. It was chaos. Everyone started running in all directions."

Paris-based rebel spokesman Eric Massi said the rebel leadership was urging its forces on the ground to refrain from "looting or score-settling with the local population".

The French have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the deteriorating situation.

France has not issued an evacuation order, but its estimated 1,250 nationals in the country were advised to stay at home.

It is expected that the 350 extra troops being sent to join the 250 French troops already in the country may be redeployed from Mali, where France has been fighting an Islamist insurgency.

The UN Security Council on Friday voiced strong concern about the rebel advances "and their humanitarian consequences" amid reports of widespread summary executions, rapes, torture and the use of children in conflict.

CAR regularly languishes closes to the bottom of the lists of the world's poorest countries despite extensive deposits of uranium, crude oil, gold and diamonds.
Source:  http://news.sky.com/story/1069096/central-african-republic-rebels-take-capital
- - -

Report from BBC News, published on Sunday, 24 March 2013; 4:09pm UK.  Copy in full:

Central African Republic:  President Bozize flees Bangui

• Rebels are reported to have seized the presidential palace

• Francois Bozize came to power in a coup in 2003

Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken the capital, Bangui, after President Francois Bozize fled.

Witnesses reported gunfire as the Seleka rebel coalition took the presidential palace, followed by chaos and looting in the city centre.

Mr Bozize arrived with his family in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a Congolese official said.

The rebels, involved in an on-off rebellion since December, say Mr Bozize failed to honour a peace deal.

On Sunday, witnesses and government officials confirmed that they had taken control of Bangui.

South African peacekeepers in CAR to support government troops suffered casualties but failed to stop the rebel advance.

Justin Kombo Moustapha, secretary-general of Seleka, appealed for calm and called on citizens to "welcome the revolutionary forces of Seleka".

"Central African Republic has just opened a new page in its history," he said in a statement.

'Common future'

Nelson Ndjadder of Seleka's CPSK faction said the country should now move into a transition towards democratic elections.

"With the taking of Bangui and the departure of Bozize, the main objective of our struggle has been realised," he said.

"Central Africans must meet around a table to decide the path for their common future."

A Paris-based rebel spokesman Eric Massi told AFP news agency that the rebels had secured Bangui and military camps and were deploying across the capital "to launch security operations and prevent looting".

But Amy Martin of the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, told the BBC World Service that looting was happening.

"The situation in town is chaotic in the sense than communities are looting properties, private properties, even a paediatric hospital we understand has been looted," she said.

"Our main concern right now is at the community level, with the looting and the possible tensions between various ethnic groups."

South African troops retreated to their barracks and were seeking safe passage to the airport, Ms Martin said.

She added that Bangui been without power since Saturday, and that this meant water had also been cut.

She also said the situation in the interior thought to be worse than in the capital, more than 170,000 estimated to have been displaced within the country and others fleeing to Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

DR Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende said Mr Bozize's wife, children and other relatives had fled to the Congolese town of Zongo.

Mr Bozize also travelled to Zongo, from where he was expected to be moved with his family to the district capital of Gemena, a Congolese official told the BBC.

UN officials said 26,000 people had arrived in Zongo from CAR, and the numbers were rapidly increasing.

UN concern

Former colonial power France has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

It has sent 350 soldiers to ensure the security of its citizens, a senior official told AFP, bringing the total number of French troops in CAR to nearly 600.

"I call upon all sides to show the greatest restraint," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, urging French nationals to stay at home.

The UN Security Council voiced concern about the rebel advance on Friday, amid reports of killings, rapes and torture.

The rebels joined a power-sharing government in January after talks brokered by regional leaders to end a rebellion they launched last year.

But the deal quickly collapsed, with the rebels saying their demands, including the release of political prisoners, had not been met.

Observers say Mr Bozize kept the army weak because he was afraid of a military coup.

He came to power himself in a coup in 2003.

CAR, which has a population of about 4.5 million, has been hit by a series of rebellions since independence from France in 1960.

It is one of the poorest countries in Africa, despite its considerable mineral resources.

Related Stories

CAR rebels 'enter capital Bangui'
23 March 2013, BBC Africa
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21913926

Longing for peace
12 January 2013, BBC Africa
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20984886

Q&A: CAR rebellion
11 January 2013, BBC Africa
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20798007

From other news sites:

Jakarta Post:  C. African Republic president flees rebel attack 
12 hrs ago [Sunday, 24 March 2013]
http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z8437359425&z=1600249594

Yahoo! UK and Ireland (AFP):  C.African rebels vow to respect peace deal
12 hrs ago [Sunday, 24 March 2013]
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/central-africa-rebels-seize-presidential-palace-094455671.html#KTdWWhs

Reuters UK UPDATE 2:  C.African Republic capital falls to rebels, Bozize flees
13 hrs ago [Sunday, 24 March 2013]
http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z8437252270&z=1600249365

Guardian.co.uk:  Central African Republic president flees as rebels enter Bangui
13 hrs ago [Sunday, 24 March 2013]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/24/central-african-republic-president-flees

Telegraph:  Central African rebels call for president to leave as they enter capital 
29 hrs ago [Saturday, 23 March 2013 - Agence France-Presse in Bangui]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/centralafricanrepublic/9950334/Central-African-rebels-call-for-president-to-leave-as-they-enter-capital.html

Source:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21915901
- - -
UPDATE 1 on Monday, 25 March 2013; 3:15pm UK:

C. African Republic president flees to Cameroon
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (Associated Press) - The president of CAR fled to neighboring Cameroon on Monday, as the rebels who overthrew him began squabbling who would now lead the impoverished nation long wracked by rebellions.   The government of Cameroon confirmed Monday [25 March] that Bozize is seeking "temporary" refuge there before leaving for another unspecified country.  Full story at:  http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/story/21782944/c-african-rebel-consider-me-head-of-state

Situation in the Central African Republic
WASHINGTON, 25 March 2013/(APO)/ - US Department of State Press Statement: http://appablog.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/situation-in-the-central-african-republic-2/

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General on the situation in the Central African Republic
NEW YORK, 25 March 2013/ (APO)/ – The Secretary-General condemns the unconstitutional seizure of power that took place in the Central African Republic (CAR) on 24 March 2013 and calls for the swift restoration of constitutional order. He reiterates that the Libreville Agreements, negotiated by the Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), remain the most viable framework to ensure durable peace and stability in the country.  Full story at:  http://appablog.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/statement-attributable-to-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-on-the-situation-in-the-central-african-republic/
- - -

DR Congo/Rwanda: FDLR in nuclear materials deals - FDLR rebels keeping unsold Uranium –says UN

ACCORDING to the below copied reports, a United Nations Investigative Report in the DR of Congo has unearthed information that the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels possess large portions of deadly Uranium, which they have since failed to sell.

The report, released by UN investigators, this week, indicates that the FDLR rebels, mainly Ex-FAR genocidal forces, are stuck with hundreds of kilograms of Uranium, a mineral used to make nuclear weapons.

UN experts revealed that the FDLR rebels discovered a deposit of precious minerals, which included six 70-kg canisters of uranium in Walikale territory of eastern DRC, after a tip-off by local chiefs.

Full story below.

Rwanda: FDLR in Nuclear Material Deals
Source: The New Times - www.newtimes.co.rw
Author: Edmund Kagire
Date: Thursday, 02 December 2010
Reprinted at allafrica.com

(Kigali) — A United Nations Investigative Report in the DRC has unearthed information that the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels possess large portions of the deadly Uranium, which they have since failed to sell.

The report, released by UN investigators, this week, indicates that the FDLR rebels, mainly Ex-FAR genocidal forces, are stuck with hundreds of kilograms of Uranium, a mineral used to make nuclear weapons, which they have failed to sell for the last 2 years.

According to the report, the rebels have been trying to sell the deadly mineral on the black market.

UN experts revealed that the FDLR rebels discovered a deposit of precious minerals, which included six 70-kg canisters of uranium in Walikale territory of eastern DRC, after a tip-off by local chiefs.

The minerals were found in 2008 in a hidden underground vault.

The UN investigators say Sylvestre Mudacumura, the FDLR High Commander General tried to sell the Uranium through "his long-time business associate, Evariste Shamamba, of Établissement Namukaya".

"Établissement Namukaya subsequently held the canister for over a year without finding a buyer, and it was eventually returned to a pastor living in Kalehe," reads the report released Monday to the UN Security Council.

The investigators describe the material as "un-enriched uranium" - meaning it cannot be used to make nuclear bombs in its current form. The amount would not be enough to create even a small amount of fissile material, said the UN team.

Since the FDLR - through their contacts could not find a buyer for more than a year, they gave up, suggesting they are still in possession of some of the mineral.

The report also noted that joint Rwanda-DR Congo military operations have pushed the rebels out of the known mines, but the rebels have moved into mines in far rural areas.

The UN experts said they had given Interpol details of the attempted trade as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has been monitoring illicit traffic from DRCs Katanga Province, where there are Uranium deposits.

- - -

FDLR rebels keeping unsold Uranium –says UN
Source: Rwanda News Agency (RNA) - rnanews.com
Author: RNA Reporters
Date: Tuesday, 30 November 2010; 11:19. Copy in full:

Text message from Établissement Namukaya agent wishing to sell alleged uranium on behalf of the FDLR rebels. This same company also sells minerals for Congolese soldiers - using Kigali, Bujumbura and Kampala as the transit routes (Courtesy photo)

Kigali: Rwandan FDLR rebels are keeping hundreds of kilograms of Uranium – a mineral used to make atomic weapons, for which they have failed to get a buyer for two years now, according to UN investigators.

Subscribe to read more...

- - -

Wikileaks desnuda la política exterior de EEUU: revelan esfuerzos ...

‎
El Diario CoLatino - 2 days ago

Se trata de un material que aporta novedades relevantes sobre el manejo de asuntos de gran repercusión mundial, como el programa nuclear de Irán, ...

- - -

Click on FDLR label here below to view previous reports.

UN sanctions 4 FDLR leaders in DR Congo - Congo Siasa blog is back - New UN Group of Experts Report is out

Press Release from the Permanent Missions to the UN of France, the UK, and the US on the Designation for Sanctions of Four Additional Individuals in the DRC
Source: United States Mission to the United Nations - usun.state.gov
New York, NY
Wednesday, 01 December 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Permanent Missions to the United Nations of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States submitted to the Security Council’s Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, three FDLR leaders and one individual responsible for targeting children in situations of armed conflict, to be added to the list of individuals and entities subject to a worldwide travel ban and asset freeze.

These four individuals are: Gaston IYAMUREMYE, Félicien NSANZUBUKIRE, Innocent ZIMURINDA and Leodomir MUGARAGU.
Members of the Committee agreed on 1 December 2010 that these four individuals be placed on the Committee’s list of designees for DRC sanctions.

These designations demonstrate the international community’s continued determination to fight against those who oppose the disarmament of rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and those responsible for the recruitment of children and serious human rights abuses.

The UN sanctions regime for DRC was renewed for a further 12 months on 29 November 2010 through the adoption of UNSCR 1952. As part of their work the Group of Experts have developed a clear set of due diligence guidelines for the minerals supply chain in eastern DRC. These guidelines, which the Security Council supported taking forward in SCR 1952, will help avoid financing further conflict in eastern DRC.

The Permanent Missions to the United Nations of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States will continue to work with members of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Committee to identify the individuals and entities that meet the criteria in Resolution 1857 (2008).

Background
The UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo is responsible for monitoring UN Member State implementation of the sanctions in place in the DRC. The Committee comprises all 15 members of the Security Council, and was authorized by Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1596 (2005) to list individuals and entities for an assets freeze and travel ban. The Committee decided on 1 December 2010 to list the four individuals named below, whose actions have undermined stability in the DRC. Their designation follows a request to the Committee from the Governments of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Those now under UNSC sanctions as a result of the Committee’s action today include:

1. Gaston IYAMUREMYE, born in 1948 in Musanze District (Northern Province), Rwanda. According to multiple sources, including the UNSC DRC Sanctions Committee’s Group of Experts, Gaston Iyamuremye is considered a core member of the FDLR military and political leadership and has become the group’s president. Gaston Iyamuremye also ran Ignace Murwanashyaka’s (previous President of the FDLR) office in Kibua, DRC until December 2009.

2. Félicien NSANZUBUKIRE, born in 1967 in Murama, Kinyinya, Rubungo, Kigali, Rwanda. Félicien Nsanzubukire has been a member of the FDLR since at least 1994 and operating in eastern DRC since October 1998. The UNSC DRC Sanction Committee’s Group of Experts reports that Félicien Nsanzubukire supervised and coordinated the trafficking of ammunition and weapons between at least November 2008 and April 2009 from the United Republic of Tanzania, via Lake Tanganyika, to FDLR units based in the Uvira and Fizi areas of South Kivu.

3. Innocent ZIMURINDA, born in 1975 or on September 1, 1972 , in Ngungu, Masisi Territory, North Kivu Province, DRC. Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda was an officer in the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP) which was integrated into the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) in early 2009.

According to multiple sources, Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda, in his capacity as one of the commanders of the FARDC 231st Brigade, gave orders that resulted in the massacre of over 100 Rwandan refugees, mostly women and children, during an April 2009 military operation in the Shalio area.

The UNSC DRC Sanctions Committee’s Group of Experts reported that Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda was witnessed first hand refusing to release three children from his command in Kalehe, on August 29, 2009.

According to multiple sources, Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda, prior to the CNDP’s integration into FARDC, participated in a November 2008 CNDP operation that resulted in the massacre of 89 civilians, including women and children, in the region of Kiwanja.

In March 2010, 51 human rights groups working in eastern DRC posted a complaint online alleging that Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda was responsible for multiple human rights abuses involving the murder of numerous civilians, including women and children, between February 2007 and August 2007. Lt Col Innocent Zimurinda has also been accused in the same complaint to be responsible for the rape of a large number of women and girls.

According to a May 21, 2010, statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, Innocent Zimurinda has been involved in the arbitrary execution of child soldiers, including during operation Kimia II. According to the same statement, he denied access by the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to screen troops for minors. According to the UNSC DRC Sanctions Committee’s Group of Experts, Lt Col Zimurinda holds direct and command responsibility for child recruitment and for maintaining children within troops under his command.

4. Leodomir MUGARAGU, born in 1954 or 1953, in Kigali, Rwanda or Rushashi (Northern Province), Rwanda. According to open-source and official reporting, Leodomir Mugaragu is the Chief of Staff of the Forces Combattantes Abucunguzi/Combatant Force for the Liberation of Rwanda (FOCA), the FDLR’s armed wing. According to official reporting, Mugaragu is a senior planner for FDLR’s military operations in the eastern DRC.

###

PRN: 2010/303

- - -

CONGO SIASA BLOG IS BACK!

New UN Group of Experts Report is Out
Source: Congo Siasa - congosiasa.blogspot.com
Date: Wednesday, 01 December 2010
Excerpt:

Congo Siasa is back, just in time for the new UN Group of Experts' report. It's a great report, chock full of useful information on the situation in the Kivus, and I'll have an exclusive interview with members of the Group here in a few days. For now, some of the highlights of the 190 page document: ...

Read more at congosiasa.blogspot.com authored by Jason Stearns. Here is a copy of Jason's Blogger profile:

I have been working on the conflict in the DR Congo for the past nine years, most recently as the Coordinator of the United Nations Group of Experts on the Congo (2008). I have also worked for Heritiers de la Justice, a local human rights NGO (2001), the UN peacekeeping mission MONUC (2002-2004) and the International Crisis Group (2004-2007). A book I wrote on the conflict, Dancing in the Glory of Monsters, is due to be published soon. I am currently getting my PhD at Yale University.

Chad army routs CPJP rebels in CAR border garrison town Birao - European Union pledges 50 billion euros to Africa's development

CHAD'S military repelled rebels from a key border town in northern Central African Republic this week, days after the rebel fighters seized it, officials in both countries said today, Wednesday 01 December.

The African Union said the flare-up in fighting around the town of Birao in recent days had killed several civilians and threatened to complicate preparations for much-delayed elections in CAR, now due in January.

"We affirm that the Chadian army has exercised its right of pursuit by destroying the remaining mercenaries... in the town of Birao," Chad's Army Chief of Staff, General Djionadji, told a news conference late on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the CPJP rebel group said Chadian helicopters and tanks crossed the border from Chad to bombard the town and that rebel fighters retreated on Tuesday.

"We simply evacuated the town because the civilian population, including women and children, were in the process of being killed," CPJP spokesman and commander Issene Abdoulaye told Reuters by telephone.

Full story below.

Chad army routs rebels in Central African Republic
Source: (AP) / Press Trust of India - www.ptinews.com
Date: Wednesday, 01 December 2010 by Staff Writer 17:40 HRS IST

N'Djamena (Chad), Dec 1 (AP) - Chad's army says it has entered the northwest part of neighbouring Central African Republic and pushed out a group of rebels that had attempted to take a town there.

The army chief said late yesterday that soldiers crossed the border to the town of Birao which was occupied by rebels from the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace movement. The army says no children or women were killed in the short operation, but did not give details on combatant deaths.

The rebels had entered the town last week.

Chad and the Central African Republic are both impoverished central African nations grappling with the spillover from violence in Sudan's Darfur province.

- - -

Chad army repels rebels in CAR border town
Source: Reuters Africa - af.reuters.com
Date: Wednesday, 01 December 2010 3:52pm GMT

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chad's military repelled rebels from a key border town in northern Central African Republic this week, days after the rebel fighters seized it, officials in both countries said on Wednesday.

The African Union said the flare-up in fighting around the town of Birao in recent days had killed several civilians and threatened to complicate preparations for much-delayed elections in CAR, now due in January.

"We affirm that the Chadian army has exercised its right of pursuit by destroying the remaining mercenaries... in the town of Birao," Chad's Army Chief of Staff, General Djionadji, told a news conference late on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the CPJP rebel group said Chadian helicopters and tanks crossed the border from Chad to bombard the town and that rebel fighters retreated on Tuesday.

"We simply evacuated the town because the civilian population, including women and children, were in the process of being killed," CPJP spokesman and commander Issene Abdoulaye told Reuters by telephone.

Djionadji denied women and children were killed in the raid. No details of casualties were available.

The CPJP rebels, who unlike other rebel groups in CAR have not signed peace accords with President Francois Bozize, seized Birao last week and said they were targeting the capital Bangui far to the south.

A Chad-based U.N. peacekeeping force had handed control of Birao over to state authorities on November 15 as its mission to protect civilians in the two countries comes to an end.

AU President Jean Ping condemned the fighting and called on politicians to work to ensure presidential and legislative elections due in January are not derailed.

Rebel clashes and problems over funding in the former French colony have delayed elections three times already, leaving Bozize in power beyond his initial mandate which ended in June.

Central African Republic is rich in minerals but has been caught up in the conflicts of neighbouring Chad, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

- - -

Further Reading

Chad army routs rebels in Central African Republic
Washington Post - Wed, 01 Dec 2010

Central African Republic: Security remains fragile ahead of UN troop withdrawal and presidential election
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at ReliefWeb

"Bemba's soldiers raped and killed in the Central African Republic"
Radio Netherlands - ‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010

Bokassa rehabilitated by Central African Republic
BBC News - Wed, 01 Dec 2010

UN - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
www.un.org - Tues, 30 Nov 2010 / Reprinted at ISRIA. Excerpt:

Question: And also, in Central African Republic, I want… it seems that maybe the Government has taken back control of… but there is this garrison town of Birao that MINURCAT [United Nations Mission in Chad and the Central African Republic] used to somehow have a presence in, that they handed back to the Government on 15 November, it was reported to be overrun by rebels. What’s going to be… One, is there any kind of update, whether from OCHA or otherwise, on what’s the status of that town? And what’s going to be the UN’s ongoing role, if any, in that part of CAR which seems to be -- the civilians are being displaced and rebels are taking and untaking towns?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: Well, on that, the only thing I’d have to share with you is to reiterate the points made by the Secretary-General in his recent statement, in which he condemned the recent attack on the town of Birao by rebels of the “Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix” (CPJP). And he calls on all concerned to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the safety of civilians, as efforts are being made by the national authorities to restore normalcy, and ensure peace and reconciliation among all the parties concerned.

Africa: European Union Pledges 50 Billion Euros to Africa's Development
Liberia Government (Monrovia) - Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at AllAfrica.com

Africa/EU Reinforce Partnership‎
Cameroon Tribune by Richard Kwang Kometa
Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at AllAfrica.com

Tripoli Declaration: economic ties revived‎
Radio Netherlands by Ruben Koops - Wed, 01 Dec 2010

Tripoli Declaration / 3rd Africa EU Summit
European Council - Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted by APO. Excerpt:

On Sudan, we emphasise the urgency and importance of ensuring that all elements of the CPA, including those concerning Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, are implemented in a timely, peaceful and credible manner, in particular the referendum on South Sudan whose results should be accepted by all.

Furthermore, we encourage all parties to progress with the post referendum issues. In this context, we welcome the leadership of the AU in close cooperation with the UN as well as the support provided by the AUHIP led by President Mbeki, and by IGAD. We welcome in particular the progress made and agreements reached on the framework regarding outstanding CPA issues. Our cooperation will continue to build on our common values and goals in pursuit of good governance, democracy and the rule of law. We firmly condemn all unconstitutional changes of governments which, alongside bad governance, are one of the main causes of instability.

Saudi Arabia - Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Sends Cable of Congratulations to President of Central African Republic
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at ISRIA

Sudan boycotts Africa-EU summit
Sapa-AFP - ‎‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at Mmegi

International war crimes court urges Central African Republic to arrest Sudan's al-Bashir
AP - Wed, 01 Dec 2010, 8:09 am ET /Reprinted at www.canadaeast.com

ICC asks Central African Republic to arrest Bashir on visit
DPA - ‎‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010 8:22 am ET /Reprinted at EARTHtimes.org

Central African Republic must arrest Omar al-Bashir during visit
Amnesty International - Wed Dec 1, 7:48 am ET

Sudan's Bashir cancels CAR trip amid ICC pressure - Summary
DPA - ‎‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted at EARTHtimes.org

African Union backs Sudan's Bashir
Mail & Guardian - ‎‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010

Key political risks to watch in Congo-FACTBOX
Reuters by Katrina Manson- ‎‎Wed, 01 Dec 2010 /Reprinted by Forexyard

Meet the Arrow Boys, the South Sudanese tribal militia that is the last line of defence against Ugandan rebel group LRA

Boys to men as Sudanese villagers take on Lord's Resistance Army
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald - www.smh.com.au
Author: Jason Koutsoukis
Date: Saturday, 27 November 2010



Photo: Protecting their families ... the Arrow Boys Samuel Manese 2nd from left and Deputy Chief Acquila Daniel 4th from right at rear, use an array of weapons against the insurgents. Photo: Kate Geraghty

(KASSIA, Sudan) - Meet the Arrow Boys, the South Sudanese tribal militia that is the last line of defence against Africa's most feared insurgent gang - the Lord's Resistance Army.

Granting rare media access to the Herald in the tiny jungle outpost of Kassia, less than 40 kilometres north of the Congo border, the local Arrow Boys chief, Samuel Manase, said the savagery of the attacks by the LRA was difficult to comprehend.

''They last attacked this village in September,'' Mr Manase said. ''They killed two people and tried to abduct three children but we succeeded in rescuing the children.''

He said the death toll in Kassia from the LRA this year was about 20. ''They kill in different ways. Sometimes people are shot dead, other times men are surrounded by a circle of LRA members beaten to death with clubs. Earlier this year I saw men here being chopped up with pangas [machetes].''

Comprised mostly of men in their teens and early 20s, the Arrow Boys were founded in the South Sudanese state of Western Equatoria last year and employ an unconventional arsenal that includes bows and arrows, spears, even poison darts, in their attempts to fend off LRA attacks.

''We use whatever weapons we can make from the materials here in the forest,'' Mr Manase said. ''We receive some assistance from the government of South Sudan in the form of small arms but it is very little.

''In the last LRA attack in September, it was the wild bees. As they tried to enter Kassia the LRA disturbed several large nests and then the bees set upon them.''

Chased out of Uganda in 2005, the LRA has since marauded through the jungles of South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic in search of refuge from the Uganda People's Defence Force.

The LRA chief, Joseph Kony, is now thought to be hiding out in southern Darfur under the auspices of the national government of Sudan, which is opposed to South Sudan's likely secession from Khartoum in a referendum scheduled for January 9.

Kony, 49, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, and styles himself as a Christian ''prophet'' whose mission is to turn Uganda into a theocracy ruled by the Ten Commandments.

Now the LRA is little more than a gang of bandits, with little, if any, real political motive, engaged in a battle for survival.

The Arrow Boys deputy commander in Kassia, Aquila Daniel, said the LRA attacked without warning. ''Their only motive plunder,'' he said. ''They take our food, and they take any other possessions we have including women and children.''

In the event of an attack, an alarm is sounded to mobilise the Arrow Boys.

''We are here hiding in the trees, waiting. The boys have little training; they only want to protect their families,'' Mr Daniel said.

''It is difficult to know how many of the LRA we kill because whenever an LRA member falls, the others in the group are under orders to bring back their bodies to their camp, whatever the cost.

''So occasionally we find traces of blood in the grass, we hope it is evidence that we have killed one of them, but we have never been able to claim a body.''

Emmanuel Samuel, 10, joined the arrow boys in July when he heard the LRA were in the area.

''The village elders told me to stay in the village but I wanted to follow my father,'' Emmanuel said.''I have fired my weapon [a bow and arrow] just once.

''No, I was not afraid because my mother and father were there fighting alongside me.''

Kate Geraghty travelled to Sudan courtesy of Doctors Without Borders

US reveals plan to disarm LRA fighters

US President Barack Obama presents strategy to combat Lord's Resistance Army rebels and their leader Joseph Kony in central Africa

US reveals plan to disarm LRA fighters
Source: guardian.co.uk by Xan Rice in Nairobi
Date: Thursday 25 November 2010 13.12 GMT



The Lord's Resistance army leader, Joseph Kony, pictured in 2006. Photograph: Stuart Price/AP

The US government yesterday revealed a plan to disarm Lord's Resistance Army fighters in central Africa and capture or kill their leader, Joseph Kony.

Barack Obama presented a strategy document to Congress designed to "mitigate and eliminate" the threat to civilians posed by one of the world's longest-running and most brutal insurgencies.

While they are unlikely to result in US troops being directly involved in combat operations, the proposed measures should strengthen local military efforts against the LRA and have been welcomed by international human rights groups.

The rebels emerged in northern Uganda 24 years ago with devastating consequences for the local population. In recent years, they have exported their terror to the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic.

More than 2,300 people in these countries have been killed by LRA fighters over the past two years, with 400,000 civilians forced to flee their homes.

At least 3,000 men, women and children have been abducted – the rebels' primary form of conscription.

Obama's announcement followed the passing of a bill in May that requires the US to support multilateral efforts to subdue the LRA.

The four main objectives of the new plan are to increase protection for civilians, encourage rebel defections, improve humanitarian access and "apprehend or remove from the battlefield Joseph Kony and senior commanders", according to a letter sent to congressmen.

The strategy is a more formal and official version of the one employed by the US for the past two years after it took the lead among western countries in trying to end the rebellion.

In December 2008, the US military provided intelligence and financial support to the Ugandan-led Operation Lightning Thunder, which flushed LRA fighters from their main hideout in Congo, Garamba National Park.

But rebel leaders including Kony – who claims to have messianic powers – escaped the ground and air assault and immediately embarked on a series of massacres in remote villages.

The strategy document said the US had spent more than $23m (£14.5m) on support for the Ugandan military since then, but added that more money was needed.

But ending the insurgency is likely to be extremely difficult, even with more cash and commitment. It was a task that proved beyond the Ugandan military when the LRA operated there for 20 years, and the rebel fighters have proved equally comfortable in countries to the east.

The US-based Enough Project warned in a recent report that the LRA's "propensity for violence remains undiminished" despite having a fighting force of just 400. Ledio Cakaj, a field researcher for the project, said Obama's plan signalled a more hands-on approach by the US military in regional counterinsurgency operations.

"You are not going to see marines on the ground fighting Kony," Cakaj said. "But you are going to see more US troops and contractors on the ground facilitating regional efforts to stop the rebels. It's not a radical move, but it is certainly a positive step."

CAR: CPJP rebels kill 4 soldiers, hold Birao garrison town near border with Chad and Sudan

Birao is a garrison town near the border with Chad and Sudan (AFP)

Rebels kill four, hold Central African Republic town
Source: AFP - www.google.com/hostednews
Date: Thursday, 25 November 2010

(BANGUI, Central African Republic) - Rebels killed four soldiers and captured an unknown number of troops in an attack on Birao, the main town of northern Central Africa Republic, the military said on Thursday.

Rebels belonging to the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace were still in control of the key town after forcing government troops to withdraw, a military commander told AFP.

"The rebels killed four of our soldiers and wounded some other," he said, declining to be named.

"A certain number of our men were also taken prisoner but we have no exact figures on that."

He said reinforcements were on the way to the area and a counter-attack was planned.

Birao is a garrison town near the borders with Chad and Sudan in an area where attacks by rebel groups occur with regularity.

Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army staged a raid on the town in October, looting shops and abducting a number of women.

The CPJP has not signed peace accords with the government of President Francois Bozize, unlike most rebel movements in the desperately poor landlocked nation.

The CPJP's founding leader is former government minister Charles Massi. His relatives and aides say that Massi was detained in neighbouring Chad, handed over and tortured to death in January in a Central African prison.

- - -

UPDATE on Friday, 26 November 2010

Central African Republic rebels seize Birao town
Source: BBC News Africa - www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa
Date: Friday, 26 November 2010 at 13:07

Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken over the town of Birao after heavy fighting with the army, a UN official has told the BBC.

The CPJP rebels have seized key strategic places including the armed forces' command base and the airport.

Birao had been under UN guard since June but the peace mission ended two weeks ago.

No casualty figures have been released but one humanitarian worker was killed during the attack, the official said.

The head of the UN humanitarian agency in CAR, Jean-Sebastien Munie said a large number of rebels led the attack on Thursday.

"The rebels' attack took the national forces by surprise."

The CPJP rebels are the only militia which remains outside the country's peace process.

Birao lies in a highly unstable region near the borders with Sudan and Chad, both of which have several rebel groups of their own.

Related stories

• Deserted villages and abandoned lives
• Country profile: Central African Republic
• Timeline: Central African Republic

APC: Congolese students and survivors use ICTs to prevent the spread of violence

Photo by l’Association des Femmes Solidaires: Survivors of violence undergo training and counseling in Brazzaville (APC)

Congolese students and survivors use ICTs to prevent the spread of violence
Source: Association for Progressive Communications (APC) - www.apc.org
By Sylvie Niombo for APC
BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo, 27 October 2010:

Association Dynamique Plurielle in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, will work with 250 female 1st to 3rd year high school students from Savorgnon de Brazzaville High School to fight against sexual harassment in schools by involving teachers and school management. It will organise awareness meetings on the Portella and Potignon Acts, which prohibits relationships between teachers and students and protects minors, during which they will screen video testimonies from survivors of abuse. During the project, students will also send alerts about sexual harassment cases via SMS by the students; and a “listening cell” of the organisation at the high school will actively respond. Educational information about the laws will be sent to 250 students; and trivia questions via SMS and MMS will be sent out participants. Winners will be awarded free internet browsing tickets for the best answer. Students will also be trained on how to use the internet to teach and train others. They will also be sensitized to online privacy and security issues when surfing the internet and using mobile phones.

Association Femmes Solidaires in Brazzaville will train fifteen young mothers infected with HIV/AIDS and survivors of violence in counselling so they can provide psychological support to their peers. Awareness-raising sessions will be held on human rights, targeting 50 women and young mothers infected with HIV/AIDS. Ten of them will be trained in basic computers skills, internet browsing and searching, and writing articles and blogs to document the experiences of violence by HIV-positive women and girls. Radio shows that broadcast the testimonies of these survivors of violence will be produced with the assistance of female journalists and members of the organisation. These radio programs will be reproduced on CDs and distributed to other organisations for their advocacy and educational activities, and uploaded to the internet.

Jeunes Infrastructure et Développement (CJID) will work to reduce violence against women and girls in Kinkala, an area that was affected by armed conflict until 2003, through awareness and education on ICTs. Twenty female soldiers and policewomen will be sensitised about violence against women. Around100 survivors of violence will be reached by this project; from which 35 will be trained in basic computer skills and internet use. They will create a listening space for survivors at their office, and provide mobile internet access to the people of Kinkala, especially young students. The project will also produce video testimonials with a team of survivors of violence, which will be screened at awareness meetings and shared with other organisations. There will also be an SMS contest for the best testimonies, and a moderated blog will be put in place to give voices to the project beneficiaries on the web.

Comptoir Juridique Junior will work with 200 students in the Mpaka Secondary School and the OCH Technical High School in Pointe-Noire to fight against and prevent sexual harassment in schools. Their actions will involve teachers and school management. Students will send alerts on cases of sexual harassment via SMS, and different measures will be taken after a consultation. Competitions for testimonies by survivors of violence via SMS and MMS will be held with 200 students, and the best testimonies will be awarded with training on the use of the internet for learning purposes. The project also educates students on privacy and security online when surfing the internet and using mobile phones. A network of students from both institutions will be created before the end of the project.

Handicapés Sans Frontières in Pointe-Noire will gather some sixty female journalists, women and girls with disabilities to educate, denounce, and find solutions to end violence against them, as well as help them break their silence. The organisation will hold awareness sessions on women’s rights and how to fight violence against women in the media and women’s circles for those with disabilities. They will be trained in basic computer skills and the internet in order to communicate about violence through blogs, photos and mobile phones. They will learn how to record sounds with mobile phones, how to take and upload photos and how to upload video and audio to the internet. Women and girls with disabilities and survivors of violence will also use the internet to advocate for a space where they can express themselves. Female journalists involved in the project will present radio and television programs that demonstrate the magnitude and call for action on violence against women and girls with disabilities.

As part of its work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal #3 (MDG3), the Association for Progressive Communicaitons Women’s Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) is providing a small grants fund for projects working with women technology and raising awareness about violence against women in over 30 communities. Funds from the MDG3 grant are going directly towards supporting over 60 local, primarily community based organisations to implement projects that use ICTs to end violence against women and building their capacity to do so.

The Tack Back the Tech! fund is a part of the APC women’s programme Take Back the Tech! to end violence against women project, which falls under the APC’s work towards achieving the third Millennium Development Goal on equality for women. A total of $20 000 dollars have been disbursed to twelve country partners for redistribution to local and grassroots organisations that are working with women and ICTs.

(END/2010)

Hat tip: www.afrora.com

ICC - France arrests Rwandan rebel leader Callixte Mbarushimana in Paris for war crimes committed in DR Congo’s Kivu province in 2009

ACTING on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), French police arrested Callixte Mbarushimana, vice-president of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), on Monday, 11 October 2010, in his Paris apartment. He stands charged of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in DRC in 2009.

The ICC alleges that Mbarushimana planned a series of crimes from his base in France with the intention of creating a humanitarian catastrophe, then extorting concessions of political power from the international community.

Almost two million people are internally displaced in eastern DRC’s Kivu provinces, in large part due to the activities of the FDLR.

Full story below.



Photo: Callixte Mbarushimana, seen here in 2004 (AFP)

Analysis: Rebel leader’s arrest just one step in fight against impunity in DRC
Source: IRIN - www.irinnews.org
Date: Thursday, 21 October 2010:

(LONDON) - The recent arrest in Europe of a senior Rwandan militia leader is a welcome step in the fight against impunity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but real progress in the protection of civilians depends on the apprehension of commanders on the ground, according to analysts.

Acting on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), French police arrested Callixte Mbarushimana, vice-president of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), on 11 October in Paris. He stands charged of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in DRC in 2009.

Almost two million people are internally displaced in eastern DRC’s Kivu provinces, in large part due to the activities of the FDLR.

International and local human rights groups applauded Mbarushimana’s arrest which comes after a long and controversial military campaign to stamp out the Hutu-dominated group that formed in DRC after the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

But they suggest impact on the ground - where a brutal campaign of murder and rape allegedly committed by FDLR soldiers has blighted the lives of civilians - will be minimal.

“It is clear from the latest military operations that the FDLR is weakened, and the arrest of individuals in Europe just weakens them even further,” said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“But will it stop them attacking civilians? I fear not. I think that we’ve seen in the past that it doesn’t have an immediate impact on behaviour on the ground, because there has been this division between the political movement [in Europe] and the military leadership in the field.”

Mbarushimana took over the FDLR’s political wing following the November 2009 arrests of FDLR President Ignace Murwanashyaka and his deputy Straton Musoni in Germany. They remain in German custody charged, under the principle of universal jurisdiction, with bearing command responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by FDLR troops eastern DRC.

ICC allegations

The ICC alleges that Mbarushimana planned a series of crimes from his base in France with the intention of creating a humanitarian catastrophe, then extorting concessions of political power from the international community.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said the latest arrest could help demobilize the FDLR “After 16 years of continuous violence, this could be an opportunity to finally demobilize the group,” said ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo in a press release. “Their leaders are gone.”

But not everyone is convinced that FDLR will give up their fight so easily. Fidel Bafilemba, the eastern DRC field researcher for the Enough Project, says the soldiers on the ground care little for international warrants for European leaders. “Why should this [latest] arrest make a difference that the arrest of Ignace Murwanashyaka didn't make?” he said.

In fact, one of the most shocking incidents in DRC’s recent history occurred long after Murwanashyaka and Musoni were taken into custody - the rape of hundreds of women near Walikale in August, allegedly by FDLR soldiers and their Congolese Mayi-Mayi allies.

Many recent atrocities attributed to the FDLR have come in apparent response to the military campaigns against them by the Rwandan and DRC armies assisted by the UN peace-keeping force in DRC, known as MONUSCO (formerly MONUC).

“What I fear with FDLR is that they have shown when under military pressure they attack Congolese civilians,” said Van Woudenberg. “The recent rapes in Walikale are a prime example of the FDLR and their Mayi Mayi allies punishing Congolese people for their perceived support for these military operations against them.”

Independent DRC analyst Jason Stearns describes the military approach to date as clumsy and says it has worsened the humanitarian catastrophe in the east. He is also unconvinced that targeting Europe-based FDLR will stamp out the rebels.

“We should crack down on the diaspora, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that in the larger scheme of things it’s not going to be by any stretch of the imagination the key factor in dealing with the FDLR,” said Stearns, the former head of the UN Group of Experts on Congo. “There are other much more important issues to deal with than the diaspora.”

He believes that MONUSCO and others should be reaching out to the commanders on the ground who were not involved in the Rwandan genocide - many of whom are tired of life in the forest and the constant military pressure. “There has been relatively little outreach to them,” he said.

“We need to find out who the genocidaires [those who took part in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide] are in the FDLR, but we just don’t know. It’s hard to engage in this outreach to commanders if you are operating with this lack of information.”

DRC army accused of crimes against humanity Stearns proposes third country exile for FDLR members found not to be involved in violations of international law and who do not want to return to Rwanda.

“Powerful signal”

International Crisis Group’s central Africa senior analyst, Guillaume Lacaille, agrees that military offensives alone will not end the violence and that FDLR military leaders in the field should be given the opportunity to relocate, but within the DRC.

“Those who accept to leave the FDLR could be relocated in a western province of the Congo in exchange for disarmament, rather than accept immediate repatriation to Rwanda,” he said.

Lacaille, however, insists the arrest of Mbarushimana and the others is also an important part of the process of bringing peace to eastern DRC.

“It sends a powerful signal that directing from Europe a criminal group operating in Congo will have serious consequences,” he said. “In the past, leaders of armed groups were led to believe that they could operate safely from comfortable Western capitals. The ICC and the governments of Germany and France demonstrated clearly that it is not possible any more.”

Enough’s Bafilemba also sees the new ICC case as a positive step towards ending impunity in DRC, but expects more from the court. That means warrants for crimes committed by all sides in the conflict including the national army which this week came under pressure from Margot Wallstrom, the UN envoy on sexual violence in conflict, who accused its soldiers of murdering and raping villagers in Walikale.

Van Woudenberg, meanwhile, is calling on the Rwandan government to do its part in ending the violence.

“As long as the political space in Rwanda is not opened up to the Hutu, the problem of the FDLR will continue,” she said. The lasting solution to this problem of Hutu and their political space is Rwanda and Rwanda will need to open this political space.”

Rwandan President Paul Kagame responded to this oft-voiced view in his 6 October swearing-in speech that followed his 93 percent landslide victory in an August election:

“…That there is no political space … what do you mean? The political space is well and fully occupied by the people of this country. And if the people of this country has spoken in such numbers and freely, who are you to question anything they have said? Where do you come from? From Mars?” lc/am/cb

- - -

A Win Against Impunity: Callixte Mbarushimana Arrested in Paris
Source: warcrimes.foreignpolicyblogs.com
Written by: Brandon Henander
Date: Tuesday, 12 October 2010. Excerpt:

[...] What many find most offensive is that Mbarushimana was a U.N. employee during the Rwandan genocide; he used that priviledge to further the genocide by identifying employees to be killed, identifying safe-havens designated by the U.N. and evacuation points to Hutu militias; and personally carried out genocidal murders himself. Up to a dozen eye witnesses have come forward testifying that Mbarushimana supervised killings of Tutsis during the genocide and/or pulled the trigger himself.

The ICTR failed to sign his indictment in 2001 alleging that his role in the genocide was not large enough to warrant prosecution in front of the special tribunal, even though he was implicated in over 30 murders and grossly abused his position as an international civil servant. Unfortunately he went on to help mastermind killings and other war crimes and crimes against humanity that rose to the level of severity worthy of consideration before an international criminal venue.

- - -

Related Reports

1. Court refuses to release Callixte Mbarushimana from detention ‎ Rwanda News Agency (registration) - 3 days ago Paris: The appeals court in Paris on Wednesday rejected a plea by indicted FDLR chief Callixte Mbarushimana to be released from detention – and his lawyers ...

   ►

2. French court rejects request to free Rwandan rebel leader ‎ AFP - 3 days ago PARIS — A French appeals court on Wednesday rejected a request by Rwandan rebel leader and war crimes suspect Callixte Mbarushimana that he be released from ...

   AFP

3. A break in Congo ‎ Los Angeles Times - 23 Oct 2010 That is why the recent arrest in Paris of Callixte Mbarushimana, the executive secretary of the FDLR, on a warrant from the International Criminal Court ...

4. Ending Impunity In the Congo ‎ Voice of America - 22 Oct 2010 Callixte Mbarushimana is a top official of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the FDLR, a rebel group that for years has wreaked havoc in ...

5. The French-American Foundation Weekly Breif ‎ FranceToday.com - Patrick Lattin - 22 Oct 2010 French police arrested Rwandan Callixte Mbarushimana in his Paris apartment on Monday, October 11 th . Mbarushimana is believed to be a leader of the FDLR, ...

   FranceToday.com

6. Analysis: Rebel leader's arrest just one step in fight against ... ‎ Rwanda News Agency (registration) - 22 Oct 2010 Acting on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), French police arrested Callixte Mbarushimana, vice-president of the Democratic Forces ...

7. UN - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for ... ‎ ISRIA (registration) - 22 Oct 2010 I don't know if you have seen it, but he speaks about the case of Callixte Mbarushimana, saying that he wants to look at the UN's failure in that and that ...

8. Rwandan War Crimes Suspect Makes First Appearance in French Court ‎ NTDTV - 20 Oct 2010 Rwandan rebel leader Callixte Mbarushimana, accused of war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), makes his first appearance in a French court on ...

9. UN Resignation of Petrie Caused by Inaction on Staff Genocidaire ... ‎ Inner City Press - Matthew Russell Lee - 20 Oct 2010 Back on October 11, Inner City Press asked Inner City Press: does the UN have any comment on the arrest in Paris of Callixte Mbarushimana? ...

   Inner City Press

10. At UN, Outsourced Report and Reporter Dodge Congo Rapes ... ‎ Inner City Press - Matthew Russell Lee - 20 Oct 2010 Inner City Press: Okay, the next question is does the UN have any comment on the arrest in Paris of Callixte Mbarushimana? Spokesperson: I know who you mean ...