Democratic? Republic of the Congo…
“Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda’s forces and government-backed Mai Mai militias deliberately killed civilians in Kiwanja, North Kivu province, on November 4-5, 2008, Human Rights Watch said today. UN peacekeepers based in the area were apparently unable to protect civilians from attack.”
Human Rights watch reported on the displacement of civilians from this conflict, and the killing of innocents. In addition, many people are commenting that the UN should send more peacekeepers to DRC to be able to stop the killing of innocents, so that stories like this one will not occur again. In addition, Human Rights Watch is reporting that refugee camps are being destroyed, and that displaced people are being forced to return, which is a war crime.
“The Congolese army has been supported in some military operations by the local militia known as Mai Mai and another militia known as PARECO, as well as by an armed group led by Rwandan Hutu called the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Some FDLR leaders participated in the Rwandan genocide in 1994. “
The country calls itself the Democratic Republic of the Congo, yet it backs itself with war criminals and participants in genocide. Some sources also commented that the problems in DRC right now present a challenge for America’s new African Command, and it is symbolic of Africom’s function. It must fill these “security vacuums.”
On another note, the victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential elections has brought much speculation and theorizing on how he will deal with problems relating to refugees and displaced persons. Some believe that his plans for Darfur, for example, which are in fact tougher than Bush’s plans, and may involve setting up a no/fly zome over Darfur to limit Sudanese air action, will be much more effective than what has been tried so far.
I think that as a world that is interconnected, refugees are a major issue, as they can move through the globalized world to cause poverty/related problems in other countries, and the fact that refugees are so common is a gross aberration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for no human should be forced from his place of residence because he fears for the security of his self and his family, because of tangible threats, wars, violence on his very doorstep.
Edit: I just noticed that this post got mentioned in another article: http://genocide.change.org/blog/view/drc_deja_vu_1998
Great entry. It’s always a pleasure to read your writing and consider your thoughts. Keep up the good work.