New confusion in Eastern Congo

by mi4al | January 6, 2009 at 11:03 am

176 views | 32 Recommendations | 9 comments

In my daily newspaper I read a short article which stated as its source the venerable BBC.The headline was that the Congolese Rebel Leader Laurent Nkunda had been deposed by his military chief of staff.Checking internet there was already an AFP press release denying that course of events, but stating that it probably is an indication of a certain amount of dissent.

Further intriguing were the rumours that Rwanda had a hand in the latest events, as it allegedly never liked Nkunda.Even though up till now it was stated matter of actly that Nkunda's movement only survived thanks to the strong support of Rwanda.

In a brief phone call with the CNDP's deputy press officer, Mr Babou Amane, the AFP information was largely confirmed but it was acknowledged that there had been an incident, which would be dealt with after the ongoing peace talks in Nairobi.

It was once more confirmed that it is extremely difficult to get reliable information from that part of the world and that doublechecking of all information,no matter from what source, is crucial if the press does not want to lose its credibility.We are there to inform the people, not to entertain them with tales and other lore.

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Amy Judd

at 12:58 on January 6th, 2009

Very interesting - and you're so right!

Jarrett Martineau

at 16:03 on January 6th, 2009

Thanks for this.

netclaire

at 20:30 on January 6th, 2009

Remarque : Ces photos sont prises au Congo-Brazzaville et non en R.D.C.

Merci de corriger.

Correct please

mi4al

at 02:19 on January 7th, 2009

Bonjour,

Vous avez tout à fait raison, mais comme les photos ont été rajouté par un tiers,je ne sais pas comment les enlever ni remplacer.

Paschen

at 02:35 on January 7th, 2009

Seul l' hauteur peut les enleve. Ecrivez donc a la direction du site ici. Avez mis les photos sur le site ici? Si cela est le cas vous n'avez alors plus le control sur ses photos. Si vous n'avez pas mis les photos sur le site et maintener les droit d' hauteur, alors vous puvez demander a les retirer.

stopthewarinnorthkivu (not verified)

at 11:03 on January 7th, 2009

You are right. In my case I posted it after doublechecking, but it´s true that we still have to wait and see the official announcement at the CNDP official webpage.

an humanitarian worker in Goma, DRC

http://stopthewarinnorthkivu.wordpress.com

mi4al

at 07:29 on January 8th, 2009

I am glad you agree, with the sensitive situation in the Kivu and a tremendous degree of rumour mongering, not to say desinformation,one has to be even more careful in verifying the facts than in normal situations.

I was born in the Congo, and started having a closer interest in the CNDP due to the most and unprecise subjective reporting. I have some contacts within the movement, which up till now have always been true to their words, but of course I know I have to build a wider

network. I would therefore be very gratefull if you and me coud start cooperating on this.

There definitely must have been incident,main question for me is Why now with the ongoing talks in Nairobi and with Ntaganda being wanted by the International Court. The CNDP spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa told me that Ntaganda received a proposal from Kinsjasa setting him free from all persecution for crimes against humanity, an impunity that after the incidents in Kiwanja, the CNDP and Laurent Nkunda were no longer able nor willing the offer him. One might wonder why Ntaganda was able to remain Chief of Staff,even after te incident in October, where he spread a false death certificate about Nkunda. Might it not be more interesting for the press to investigate how the CNDP is trying to handle the situation without triggering a break-up of the movement. The fact that Laurent Nkunda might have Aids or at least be HIV positive, is not really that relevant to me in a country like Congo with a higher than average incidence of the illness.Hundreds of thousands have died or are displaced, and Le Soir and De Morgen get excited over the "supposed" illness of just one man.

PS:Would it still be safe for me to travel to Goma and find out a bit more for myself?

Riziki (not verified)

at 21:23 on January 15th, 2009

etition Calling on UN (MONUC) to arrest NTAGANDA wantedWanted by the ICC

The UN in Congo(MONUC) is not doing enough to arrest NTAGANDA for his committed war crimes

The Mobilization for Justice and Peace in D.R. Congo (MJPC) announced today that it has launched a new online petition that can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/24459.html asking concerned citizens around the world to demand MONUC to take concrete actions to arrest Bosco Ntaganda wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes.

MONUC is currently the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world with more than 17,600 uniformed personnel from 58 countries with an annual budget of more than $1bn.

In April 2008, the International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed the warrant of arrest against Mr. NTAGANDA whic was first issued on 22 August 2006 by Pre-Trial Chamber I. The Chamber concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that from July 2002 to end of December 2003, Mr. NTAGANDA had played an essential role in enlisting and conscripting children under the age of fifteen years into the FPLC and using them to participate actively in hostilities.

According to Amede KYUBWA, Executive Director of MJPC, "concerned citizens around the world are being asked to contribute to the arrest of NTAGANDA by putting pressure on MONUC to take whatever necessary actions to arrest this war criminal." He decried MONUC's failure to take appropriate action to arrest him despite evidence showing that they know his whereabouts. MJPC urges MONUC to treat those who have committed war crimes in Congo as criminals and refrain from helping them to be appointed to high governmental posts. "rewarding war criminals with the governmental posts does nothing else than promoting more war criminals, preventing justice to thousands of victims including children and women who have suffered at the hands of these criminals and it shamefully contradicts directly the values and principles of the U.N" said Mr. KYUBWA

As part of its global campaign to help end the cycle of violence and impunity in Congo, MJPC lounched it first online petition in November 2008 calling for MONUC to immediately arrest notorious war criminal NKUNDA which can still be signed http://www.gopetition.com/online/23604.html. So far more than 1085 people have signed the petition, including those from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, USA, Kenya, Rwanda, France, German, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Malawi, Burundi, Senegal, Nigeria, Spain, Japan, the UK, Venezuela, Itali, Ethiopia, China, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Uganda.

About the MJPC.
MJPC seeks to add a voice in advocating for justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo particulary in the east of the D.R. Congo where thousands innocent civilian including children and women continue to suffer massive human rights violations while armed groups responsible for these crimes go unpunished. Visit the Online Museum of Victims of War in Congo in Congo at http://www.yoursilenceoncongo.org to see the unacceptable barbarity that you could help stop by signing the petition. For more information on MJPC and the activities, visit the wbsite www.mjpcongo.org. or call Amede Kyubwa @ 916 753 5717. The online petitions can be signed at the following addresses: for arresting NKUNDA at http://www.gopetition.com/online/23604.html and arresting NTAGANDA at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/24459.html

Paul T (not verified)

at 16:34 on June 30th, 2009

MJPC blames the Congolese Government for the Deteriorating Situation in East Congo(DRC)

"There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in lawless eastern Congo for six months"

Following the deteriorating situation in east Congo, the MJPC called today for the Congolese Government to urgently pay the salaries to thousands of soldiers who have not been paid for over six months in eastern Congo, take swift action to enforce the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant against Bosco Ntaganda and to hold accountable perpetrators of sexual violence against women for their acts.

"Failing to hold accountable individuals who commit war crimes and crimes against humunity continues to be the leading cause of widespread and systematic sexual violence acts against girls and women in the easten Congo" said Makuba Sekombo, Community Affairs Director of the Mobilization for Justice and Peace in the DR Congo (MJPC).

Mr. Sekombo again criticized the government of Congo for not only the continuing failure to protect women and young girls from sexual violence, but also for "encouraging conditions that create opportunities for sexual violence to occur". "There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in the lawless eastern Congo for six months" said Sekombo. The MJPC has also renewed its call for the Congolese government to take urgent needed action to end human rights abuses in east Congo, hold perpetrators accountable and ensure reparation for the victims of sexual violence.

The MJPC has been urging the Congolese government to compensate the victims of sexual violence in order to also help combat impunity in eastern part of Congo where sexual violence against women and children has been widely used as weapon of war for more than decade. The MJPC online petition calling for for help to put pressure on Congolese Government to compensate victims of sexual siolence in Eastern DRC can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/26180.html

About MJPC
MJPC works to add a voice in advocating for justice and peace in the DRC particulary in the east of DRC where thousands innocent civilian including children and women continue to suffer massive human rights violations while armed groups responsible for these crimes go unpunished

For more information about the MJPC and its activities, visit http://www.mjpcongo.org. or call Makuba Sekombo @ 1-408-8063-644 or e-mail: info@mjpcongo.org. The online petition calling on the Congolese Government to put urgently in place a comprehensive program of compensation for the victims of sexual violence in eastern Congo can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/26180.html