Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The UN Security Council has decided to withdraw 2,000 "Blue Helmets" of the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC). The military will be withdrawn by June 30, from areas "where security conditions permit."
Resolution 1925, adopted unanimously on May 28 by 15 members of the Security Council, also states that effective July 1, MONUC will be called the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), whose mandate will concern mainly the protection of civilian populations. The mandate of MONUSCO expires June 30, 2011.
"I do not believe that the UN will withdraw soon from the DRC, as there are still many problems to be solved which require the support of the international community. I think the UN mission in Congo will still last 4-5 years," Fides was told by Fr. Loris Cattani, Xaverian missionary and director of the "Network for Peace in Congo." "The resolution adopted by the Security Council is a compromise to appease the Congolese government, but also part of the opposition, which calls for the withdrawal of MONUC, whose mandate expires at the end of June," said Fr. Cattani. "The UN support is still essential, at least to manage the forthcoming presidential elections to be held in 2011. The logistics provided by MONUC in deploying electoral material is still essential.
"Even in security, the presence of UN soldiers is still needed, because the Congolese army is made up of former militants who were fighting each other until just recently. These are people who have fought at least 10 years in a brutal war. It is quite difficult to turn them into disciplined soldiers of an army of a democratic country. I think we should create a real professional army with personnel selected and trained, but it takes time and money," said the missionary.
"MONUC has been below expectations, and was ineffective on several occasions, but as a missionary who works in eastern Congo told me, if the UN soldiers wouldn't have been there, the situation would be worse," concludes Fr. Cattani. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 05/29/2010)
