To date, the fighting between ex-Tutsi leader Nkunda rebels and the new joint Rwandan-Congolese Armies has not happened. Everyone should knock on wood, cross your fingers, and pray for peace in Eastern Congo!
A stronger UN role is needed in the Congo
THE SEEMINGLY endless turmoil in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo took another turn last week. Thousands of Rwandan troops entered the country, apparently by invitation of the Congolese government, to rout Hutu military forces that had fled Rwanda after the genocide 14 years ago. They arrested General Laurent Nkunda, the leader of the Congolese Tutsi rebel group who up until last week was an ally of Rwanda and reportedly received arms, supplies, and soldiers from the Rwandan military.
These moves took the world by surprise, including the UN peacekeeping forces stationed in the Congo.
Experts are weighing in on whether these moves will eventually stabilize eastern Congo. But it is clear that the military build-up and shifting alliances mean more brutal fighting in the short-term and more suffering for countless Congolese families that simply want a safe place to live.
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