(AgoraVox 28/11/2012)
Derrière le spectacle médiatisé du Président Kabila et la politique du laissez-faire des casques bleus se dissimule un gros secret de polichinelle, aussi visible que le soleil de midi. On veut balkaniser le Congo ou, pour être plus précis, « arracher » les riches régions de l’Est pour les « confier » au Rwanda de Paul Kagamé.
C’est un vieux projet qui est entré dans sa phase de concrétisation avec la première guerre du Congo qui fut un échec malgré les fameux « accord de Lemera[1] ». Aux termes de cet accord, qui fut, en réalité, un marché de dupes, les « Rwandais » aidaient Laurent Kabila à chasser Mobutu et prenaient, en contrepartie, le contrôle des régions de l’Est du Congo. Un accord dont il est vite apparu qu’il était irréalisable. Mais les Rwandais tiennent bon. Ils continuent de s’acharner sur le Congo et rivalisent d’imaginations pour rester d’une manière ou d’une autre sur le territoire congolais (infiltrations de l’armée et de l’administration, création des rebellions fantoches, confusion sciemment entretenue sur la question de la nationalité,…). Des Congolais haut-placés seraient même dans le coup.
En tout cas, ils ont réussi l’exploit d’affaiblir considérablement l’armée congolaise offrant ainsi au Rwanda la capacité de s’enfoncer sur le territoire congolais comme dans du beurre, chaque fois que Kigali le désire.
En effet, depuis la chute de Mobutu, l’armée congolaise enchaîne des défaites absolument inimaginables face aux combattants rwandais. A Goma, il y avait vingt mille soldats congolais qui devaient se battre contre deux mille rebelles du M23. Soit dix soldats congolais contre un seul maquisard du M23. L’armée nationale a été mise en déroute. Avant même qu’on en arrive à la chute de Goma, le M23 comptait environ 300 mutins contre vingt mille soldats loyalistes. L’armée congolaise (129 mille hommes) n’a pas réussi à mater une « bande » de quelques centaines de mutins. Cette armée-là est un cas d’école en matière d’humiliation d’un peuple.
En creusant un peu on apprend des témoignages de plus en plus récurrents sur le déroulement des opérations sur le front. Les troupes congolaises, qui comprennent des éléments expérimentés (15 ans de guerre) ne perdent pas toutes les batailles contrairement à l’impression générale. A Kibumba, les Congolais avaient même infligé de lourdes pertes au M23 (113 morts). Mais, comme cela arrive trop souvent, les officiers congolais ont reçu des appels les invitant à effectuer un repli. Juste au moment où ils prenaient le dessus sur l’ennemi. Le M23 en a profité pour foncer sur Goma, déserté sans combat. C’était le même scenario à Mushake, en décembre 2007 lorsque les miliciens du CNDP de Laurent Nkunda ont massacré plus de 2.600 soldats congolais perturbés par des appels au repli alors qu’ils prenaient le dessus.
Il y a donc quelqu’un à Kinshasa qui ordonne ces replis et offre à l’ennemi les occasions de gagner du terrain. On ne cherchera pas loin : cette armée, ayant intégré des trop nombreuses rebellions et groupes armés, est profondément gangrénée par des éléments douteux qui s’activeraient à saborder le Congo de l’intérieur pour faciliter le démantèlement du pays. Un projet pourtant insensé et qui ne peut pas marcher. La balkanisation du Congo n’est pas réalisable pour au moins trois raisons.
La première est que les frontières du Congo sont héritées de la Conférence de Berlin (1884-1885). L’effondrement des frontières d’un seul Etat africain risque de provoquer un effet domino absolument catastrophique et une grosse pagaille sur le Continent Noir. Il est impossible de déplacer une seule frontière sans provoquer un bain de sang. L’exemple du Sud Soudan où la guerre se poursuit nous donne un avertissement à l’intention des apprentis sorciers qui s’aviseraient à retoucher les frontières des Etats africains.
Le Congo, à lui tout seul, partage dix frontières avec les pays de la région. Faire disparaître un Etat aussi stratégique risque de provoquer des troubles dans au moins dix pays à la fois les affinités et les antagonismes ethniques devant ressurgir, inévitablement. On peut toujours essayer, mais la deuxième guerre du Congo qui a vu s’affronter, pour la première fois de l’histoire de l’Afrique, neuf armées nationales et une trentaine de rebellions et groupes armés, nous a appris que le Pays de Lumumba n’est pas une mince affaire. Le Rwanda, pourtant aidé par les Américains, les Britanniques et bénéficiant de la totale impunité, n’y est pas parvenu. Il contrôlait presque le tiers du territoire congolais mais a dû lâcher l’affaire au bout de six millions de morts et confronté à une résistance acharnée des autochtones (Maï-Maï).
La deuxième raison rendant la balkanisation du Congo irréalisable est que le Rwanda souffre de faiblesses structurelles trop importantes pour pouvoir conquérir et conserver durablement un territoire. L’image du « Rwandais » est trop négative dans l’opinion congolaise. Kigali ne peut régner sur un territoire congolais qu’en recourant à la répression systématique quasiment au quotidien. Ça ne peut être qu’une occupation armée ou une forme de colonisation. Ce pays a-t-il la capacité de mener une politique coloniale avec tout ce que cela entraîne en termes de réprobation internationale et de violation des droits des autochtones ? Au 21ème siècle ?
En tout cas, Israël, avec de gros moyens et l’appui des démocraties occidentales (USA) n’arrive pas à tenir la Palestine.
La troisième raison est que le Rwanda n’étant pas une démocratie, sa stabilité sur la durée s’inscrit en pointillées. C’est d’ailleurs un pays assez malheureux. Toute la vie nationale repose sur les épaules d’un seul homme, sorte de patron du pays. Or, si puissant que puisse être Paul Kagamé, il n’offre aucune garantie à moyen et à long terme. Les Libyens se sont rendu compte de la fragilité des régimes dictatoriaux. Lorsque le sort s’est acharné sur la personne de Mouammar Kadhafi, le pays tout entier s’est effondré. Qui a dit qu’un jour le sort ne va pas s’acharner sur la personne de Paul Kagamé ?
En définitive, pour ces trois raisons (il y en a d’autres), la balkanisation du Congo au profit du Rwanda est un projet hautement improbable.
Ecrit par Boniface MUSAVULI
Wednesday 28 November 2012
Tuesday 27 November 2012
Kinshasa: How Rwandan Defense Forces Conquered Goma and M23 Claimed Victory
Kinshasa: How Rwandan Defense Forces Conquered Goma and M23 Claimed Victory
On Tuesday November 20, 2012, Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) invaded Goma on two axes. After a few hours of fight, the Congolese army, known as FARDC, fled and the Rwandan backed rebels, known as M23, entered the abandoned city from the outskirts to the North and claimed victory. The seizure of Goma by Rwandan Defense Forces highlighted, once again, the fact that without Rwandan President General Paul Kagame’s Support, M23 rebel group would be inexistent.
AfroAmerica Network sources within Rwandan Defense Forces have given us detailed accounts on how Goma was conquered and who played what role and what happened and is happening behind the scenes.
An Invasion Carefully Planned in Kigali, Rwanda
On Monday Nov 19/2012, FARDC allegedly shelled the border town of Gisenyi, on the Rwandan territory. The shelling was widely condemned by Rwandan military leaders who issued veiled threats to retaliate. According to AfroAmerica Network sources, immediately after the alleged shelling, General Paul Kagame summoned his top military leaders and announced that the excuse to seize North Kivu Capital City of Goma has been found. He then gave an order to immediately deploy around 4,000 RDF troops that would march on Goma.
The invasion started on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 on two axes: one group of Rwandan troops went after the Goma airfield engaging the FARDC soldiers that guarded the airport and the Radio/TV station; the second group attacked the Goma City center. FARDC troops, expecting the attacks to come from M23 rebels to the North of Goma were surprised when they were attacked from Lake Kivu on the South and South East. They fled westward to the town of Sake, abandoning weapons and injured FARDC soldiers.
After the bulk of invasion had been successfully completed by the RDF troops and the Rwandan Defense Forces captured Goma, the so-called M23 rebels showed up and made speeches to the population. To hide the presence of thousands of Rwandan troops, official leaders of M23 rebels declared that 2,000 FARDC troops had surrendered, with, curiously, less than 100 AK 47.
Rwandan Defense Forces invasion and RDF Command
M23 rebels are an offshoot of the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF). They receive all the technical support, supplies, communications, arms, ammunitions, etc… from Rwanda military and government. Their de facto commander is Rwandan Defense Minister, General James Kabarebe. The overall field commander of the military operations to invade the Democratic Republic of the Congo is General Emmanuel Ruvusha, known for his bloody repression in Kisangani in 2000 when the RDF troops battled the Uganda forces (UPDF). He has also been accused by several human rights organizations for the role he played in the extermination of Rwanda refugees in DRC in 1996-97.
General Paul Kagame Faces High Casualties and Low Morale among Rwandan Defense Forces
Just before the latest operations, the M23 rebels were being stationed at Runyoni training camp at the Rwanda-DRC border. This location was carefully selected since it allowed the traning exercices to take place away from suspecting eyes and to evade the intelligence gathering by the United Nations Mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO. The site also is conveniently located, to maintain the rebel supply routes from Rwanda unhindered.
Initially the RDF troops crossed to Runyoni and mingled with M23 rebels to invade Kibumba. FARDC and MONUSCO, using helicopters and tanks bombed them and killed a large number of the Rwandan Defense Forces troops. The FARDC and MONUSCO also resisted and used heavy weapons during the initial hours of the invasion of Goma, increasing the casualties among Rwandan Defense Forces.
The number of dead Rwandan soldiers seen by AfroAmerica Network sources in Kanombe, Kigali, Gisenyi, and Mukamira military camps is around 100, just for the Goma invasion alone.
According to other sources who are following very closely what is going on on the ground, it appears that the morale of RDF soldiers is very low. Some of the commanders are even openly questioning the usefulness of the military operations.
This has extremely worried Pres. Kagame and his inner circle. Although General Paul Kagame has recently increased the salary of the Republican Guard, his security forces, other troops are poorly, if not, paid. He is worried that he may not have any way to support these troops once they return to Rwanda. In addition, General Paul Kagame was very furious after William Hague, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, joined other members in the International Community to lend credibility to the latest report by the UN Experts on DRC that accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels. The UK government has been one of the staunch supporters of the Rwandan regime since 1994. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is the personal adviser to General Paul Kagame.
General Paul Kagame Bowing to International Pressure?
Following the wide condemnation from both regional powers and the International Community, General Paul Kagame has ordered a partial withdrawal of the RDF contingent form Eastern DRC while maintaining a sizable number of troops led by RDF Brigadier General John Gatama.
General Paul Kagame appears to bow to the pressure from the International Community but remains determined to maintain his hold on Eastern DRC. AfroAmerica Network correspondents, other sources and eyewitness accounts corroborate what AfroAmerica Network has all along reported: the Rwandan government and the military, especially Rwandan President General Paul Kagame and his inner circle, are the main sponsor of the M23 rebel group. The Rwandan military officials recruit, train, and ultimately deploy them. Without General Paul Kagame’s support, the M23 would not exist, and less, claim any military successes.
Therefore, how the crisis in the Eastern DRC will be negotiated and the crisis resolved without addressing the issue of General Paul Kagame’s support to such destabilizing forces remains a puzzle.
©2012 AfroAmerica Network. All Rights Reserved.
AfroAmerica Network sources within Rwandan Defense Forces have given us detailed accounts on how Goma was conquered and who played what role and what happened and is happening behind the scenes.
An Invasion Carefully Planned in Kigali, Rwanda
On Monday Nov 19/2012, FARDC allegedly shelled the border town of Gisenyi, on the Rwandan territory. The shelling was widely condemned by Rwandan military leaders who issued veiled threats to retaliate. According to AfroAmerica Network sources, immediately after the alleged shelling, General Paul Kagame summoned his top military leaders and announced that the excuse to seize North Kivu Capital City of Goma has been found. He then gave an order to immediately deploy around 4,000 RDF troops that would march on Goma.
The invasion started on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 on two axes: one group of Rwandan troops went after the Goma airfield engaging the FARDC soldiers that guarded the airport and the Radio/TV station; the second group attacked the Goma City center. FARDC troops, expecting the attacks to come from M23 rebels to the North of Goma were surprised when they were attacked from Lake Kivu on the South and South East. They fled westward to the town of Sake, abandoning weapons and injured FARDC soldiers.
After the bulk of invasion had been successfully completed by the RDF troops and the Rwandan Defense Forces captured Goma, the so-called M23 rebels showed up and made speeches to the population. To hide the presence of thousands of Rwandan troops, official leaders of M23 rebels declared that 2,000 FARDC troops had surrendered, with, curiously, less than 100 AK 47.
Rwandan Defense Forces invasion and RDF Command
M23 rebels are an offshoot of the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF). They receive all the technical support, supplies, communications, arms, ammunitions, etc… from Rwanda military and government. Their de facto commander is Rwandan Defense Minister, General James Kabarebe. The overall field commander of the military operations to invade the Democratic Republic of the Congo is General Emmanuel Ruvusha, known for his bloody repression in Kisangani in 2000 when the RDF troops battled the Uganda forces (UPDF). He has also been accused by several human rights organizations for the role he played in the extermination of Rwanda refugees in DRC in 1996-97.
General Paul Kagame Faces High Casualties and Low Morale among Rwandan Defense Forces
Just before the latest operations, the M23 rebels were being stationed at Runyoni training camp at the Rwanda-DRC border. This location was carefully selected since it allowed the traning exercices to take place away from suspecting eyes and to evade the intelligence gathering by the United Nations Mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO. The site also is conveniently located, to maintain the rebel supply routes from Rwanda unhindered.
Initially the RDF troops crossed to Runyoni and mingled with M23 rebels to invade Kibumba. FARDC and MONUSCO, using helicopters and tanks bombed them and killed a large number of the Rwandan Defense Forces troops. The FARDC and MONUSCO also resisted and used heavy weapons during the initial hours of the invasion of Goma, increasing the casualties among Rwandan Defense Forces.
The number of dead Rwandan soldiers seen by AfroAmerica Network sources in Kanombe, Kigali, Gisenyi, and Mukamira military camps is around 100, just for the Goma invasion alone.
According to other sources who are following very closely what is going on on the ground, it appears that the morale of RDF soldiers is very low. Some of the commanders are even openly questioning the usefulness of the military operations.
This has extremely worried Pres. Kagame and his inner circle. Although General Paul Kagame has recently increased the salary of the Republican Guard, his security forces, other troops are poorly, if not, paid. He is worried that he may not have any way to support these troops once they return to Rwanda. In addition, General Paul Kagame was very furious after William Hague, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, joined other members in the International Community to lend credibility to the latest report by the UN Experts on DRC that accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels. The UK government has been one of the staunch supporters of the Rwandan regime since 1994. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is the personal adviser to General Paul Kagame.
General Paul Kagame Bowing to International Pressure?
Following the wide condemnation from both regional powers and the International Community, General Paul Kagame has ordered a partial withdrawal of the RDF contingent form Eastern DRC while maintaining a sizable number of troops led by RDF Brigadier General John Gatama.
General Paul Kagame appears to bow to the pressure from the International Community but remains determined to maintain his hold on Eastern DRC. AfroAmerica Network correspondents, other sources and eyewitness accounts corroborate what AfroAmerica Network has all along reported: the Rwandan government and the military, especially Rwandan President General Paul Kagame and his inner circle, are the main sponsor of the M23 rebel group. The Rwandan military officials recruit, train, and ultimately deploy them. Without General Paul Kagame’s support, the M23 would not exist, and less, claim any military successes.
Therefore, how the crisis in the Eastern DRC will be negotiated and the crisis resolved without addressing the issue of General Paul Kagame’s support to such destabilizing forces remains a puzzle.
©2012 AfroAmerica Network. All Rights Reserved.
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