Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “We are seeing signs of a plan to launch hostilities, which would include South Kivu,” Agenzia Fides was told by a local Church source (we withhold their name for security reasons) in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. South Kivu borders North Kivu, whose capital city is Goma, which remains in the hands of rebel General Laurent Nkunda, in spite of a partial retreat which took place yesterday (see Fides 19/11/2008).
“Until now, South Kivu has been spared from war,” our source said. “However, we have heard news of the recruitment of several young people, on the part of people known for their role in the war of 1998-2003. We have been dumbfounded by the recent nominations made by the government in Kinshasa, in appointing leaders of the national army. Several officers formerly belonged to the Congolese Union for Democracy (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie, RCD), the former guerrilla movement of which Nkunda was a member. Frankly speaking, it does not seem to me the best choice in defending the territorial integrity of Congo.”
The RCD signed a peace accord in 2003, becoming a political party; a part of its soldiers integrated into the regular army, including Nkunda himself, who has never obeyed members of the military hierarchy and eventually publicly rebelled against the central government.
“The regular army has undoubtedly committed atrocities, which have been justly revealed by the international mass media: taking advantage of the civilian populations, fleeing before the enemy and leaving behind heavy weaponry, etc...However, I do not see the same emphasis being placed on the fact that Nkunda and his second-in-command are being sought by the International Crime Court, on charges of war crimes, and that Nkunda has failed to comply with the Amani Peace Accord, which he himself signed in January,” Fides' source said. “It is incredible, as well, to see how high-ranking diplomats of the international community receive Nkunda and treat him as if he were another Head of State.”
“These facts do nothing more than encourage those who say that there should be a separation of South and North Kivu from the rest of the country, to create an independent State. This, however, has been denounced by the Bishops in their recent statements,” the missionary explained.
“If it reaches this point, it should be acknowledged that the government in Kinshasa has its own responsibilities. The people of Kivu, who almost all voted for President Kabila, are now disillusioned. He has not improved their living conditions; taxes and customs tariffs have remained high; there is no progress; no road-building has been set in motion, to improve Kivu's connection to the rest of the country. It is clear that at this point, if anyone began showing signs of being able to improve the economy through the establishment of an independent State - through secession - which had been an idea rejected by the majority of the people until now, he could make headway,” Fides' source concluded. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 20/11/2008)
