Imagine a situation where your neighbor is that notorious man who returns each night only to create havoc in his home. The entire neighborhood can’t find peace as the monster is always up in arms either quarrelling or battering his wife and children.
Then one night, this family runs to your door-step seeking protection. Out of a humanitarian urge or a spirit of good neighborliness, you provide overnight shelter. The fellow across the fence is not even bothered in knowing he where about of his family.
Next day, your neigbours accuses you of being an accomplice in his family feuds because you simply hosted his desperate family. Even if your actions were purely driven by sympathy, the accusations may evolve from one thing to another.
Most times, we have these kinds of neigbours in our midst. They will find all sorts of excuses to serve as scapegoats or a justification for their erratic behaviors.
Rwanda has a neigbour in the name of the DR Congo. At times this ‘good’ neighbor of Rwanda behaves in a manner almost similar to the above scenario.
The DRC is embroiled in a political mess. And the sad reality is that there seems to be no prescription to cure this mess. But to divert attention from its internal weaknesses, Kinshasa has routinely behaved like the neigbour I describe above. The strategy is only one; arouse anti-Rwanda sentiments and find some breathing space.
I’m convinced that Rwanda has no interest in fanning a war inside eastern DRC because any war in this part of the Congo affects Kigali more than it does for Kinshasa. It’s not even about the influx of refugees. Not even about spending sleepless nights trying to respond to rumors. It’s about trade. Eastern DRC is a potential market for Rwanda and Kigali is more interested in business with this region than senseless wars.
This is why Kigali has been extending an olive branch to Kinshasa, trying hard to intervene and provide solutions for peace but unfortunately, our brothers seem to be trapped in the past.
Therefore, for Kinshasa to remobilize domestic support around anti-Rwanda sentiments is simply playing cheap politics and hoodwinking its own population.
However, any rebellion in whatever form, should be avoided. But before you pass judgment, it is equally important to understand the underlying cause of such uprisings and see if there are any serious justifications.
This group of CNDP which is allegedly linked to the new M-23 has come up clearly and stated the reasons for their rebellion. They have repeatedly accused Kinshasa of failing to implement what was agreed upon and as a result they continue to lose their kith and kin at the hands of genocidaire forces that have found haven in the DRC.
Unfortunately, Rights Groups, International NGOs and the UN itself seem to all gang up against this group without taking time to play a neutral role of finding the truth. Nobody seems to be questioning Kinshasa why the agreement they signed with CDNP has not been implemented. Nobody seems concerned with the suffering and killings of Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese. Instead, there’s a conspiracy to silence this absurd reality by condemning one group.
Yet as long as this problem is not solved then do not expect the likes of CNDP to remain in Kinshasa enjoying ‘formage’ or dancing to ‘lumba’ while their brothers and sisters perish.
I think it’s high time the Congolese people demanded genuine answers. It’s high time they demanded accountability from their government instead of apportioning excuses elsewhere.
Rwanda is not responsible for the bloated defense spending that DRC runs. The Congolese people must ask themselves, who is directly benefiting from this prolonged conflict---who runs the logistical supply chain of this war and what interests would such elements have in a sustainable war?
Rwanda is not responsible for arming the FDLR, a root cause of all the problem of Eastern DRC. Congolese should ask their leaders why FDLR remains on their territory and in whose interests it works? Who arms it and who protects its leaders? Without FDLR, Eastern DRC would be peaceful.
Otherwise, using Rwanda as a scapegoat all the time, is simply playing a cheap game.
Source: Newtimes, June 14, 2012
Author: Asiimwe Arthur
On twitter @asiimwe
Contact email: akaeus[at]yahoo.com
Then one night, this family runs to your door-step seeking protection. Out of a humanitarian urge or a spirit of good neighborliness, you provide overnight shelter. The fellow across the fence is not even bothered in knowing he where about of his family.
Next day, your neigbours accuses you of being an accomplice in his family feuds because you simply hosted his desperate family. Even if your actions were purely driven by sympathy, the accusations may evolve from one thing to another.
Most times, we have these kinds of neigbours in our midst. They will find all sorts of excuses to serve as scapegoats or a justification for their erratic behaviors.
Rwanda has a neigbour in the name of the DR Congo. At times this ‘good’ neighbor of Rwanda behaves in a manner almost similar to the above scenario.
The DRC is embroiled in a political mess. And the sad reality is that there seems to be no prescription to cure this mess. But to divert attention from its internal weaknesses, Kinshasa has routinely behaved like the neigbour I describe above. The strategy is only one; arouse anti-Rwanda sentiments and find some breathing space.
I’m convinced that Rwanda has no interest in fanning a war inside eastern DRC because any war in this part of the Congo affects Kigali more than it does for Kinshasa. It’s not even about the influx of refugees. Not even about spending sleepless nights trying to respond to rumors. It’s about trade. Eastern DRC is a potential market for Rwanda and Kigali is more interested in business with this region than senseless wars.
This is why Kigali has been extending an olive branch to Kinshasa, trying hard to intervene and provide solutions for peace but unfortunately, our brothers seem to be trapped in the past.
Therefore, for Kinshasa to remobilize domestic support around anti-Rwanda sentiments is simply playing cheap politics and hoodwinking its own population.
However, any rebellion in whatever form, should be avoided. But before you pass judgment, it is equally important to understand the underlying cause of such uprisings and see if there are any serious justifications.
This group of CNDP which is allegedly linked to the new M-23 has come up clearly and stated the reasons for their rebellion. They have repeatedly accused Kinshasa of failing to implement what was agreed upon and as a result they continue to lose their kith and kin at the hands of genocidaire forces that have found haven in the DRC.
Unfortunately, Rights Groups, International NGOs and the UN itself seem to all gang up against this group without taking time to play a neutral role of finding the truth. Nobody seems to be questioning Kinshasa why the agreement they signed with CDNP has not been implemented. Nobody seems concerned with the suffering and killings of Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese. Instead, there’s a conspiracy to silence this absurd reality by condemning one group.
Yet as long as this problem is not solved then do not expect the likes of CNDP to remain in Kinshasa enjoying ‘formage’ or dancing to ‘lumba’ while their brothers and sisters perish.
I think it’s high time the Congolese people demanded genuine answers. It’s high time they demanded accountability from their government instead of apportioning excuses elsewhere.
Rwanda is not responsible for the bloated defense spending that DRC runs. The Congolese people must ask themselves, who is directly benefiting from this prolonged conflict---who runs the logistical supply chain of this war and what interests would such elements have in a sustainable war?
Rwanda is not responsible for arming the FDLR, a root cause of all the problem of Eastern DRC. Congolese should ask their leaders why FDLR remains on their territory and in whose interests it works? Who arms it and who protects its leaders? Without FDLR, Eastern DRC would be peaceful.
Otherwise, using Rwanda as a scapegoat all the time, is simply playing a cheap game.
Source: Newtimes, June 14, 2012
Author: Asiimwe Arthur
On twitter @asiimwe
Contact email: akaeus[at]yahoo.com
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