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Peacekeepers must be sent to Congo-Kinshasa

The United Nations Security Council must immediately deploy the long-awaited peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to prevent another humanitarian crisis in the African Great Lakes region.

MONTREAL, November 10, 1999 The United Nations Security Council must immediately deploy the long-awaited peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to prevent another humanitarian crisis in the African Great Lakes region.

"There must be a peacekeeping mission, otherwise we will witness another humanitarian tragedy in the African Great Lakes region," wrote Warren Allmand, President of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, in a letter sent today to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Mr. Allmand stressed that the UN's own Special Rapporteur, Roberto Garreton, recently stated that the DRC is a powder keg, which could ignite at any moment and unleash a region-wide civil war.

The two major rebel factions have threatened to resume hostilities, accusing the President of the DRC, Laurent-D?sir? Kabila, of regularly violating the Lusaka cease-fire agreement which came into force on August 31, 1999. Moreover Kabila has warned he will wage a war against his neighbours before the end of the year unless Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda leave the territory of the RDC .

The International Centre has been working for more than a year with representatives of civil society living in exile and in the DRC on a plan to pave the way for an inclusive participatory peace process, which would lead to democracy in Congo-Kinshasa.

"We missed a great window of opportunity to advance the cause of peace immediately following the Lusaka cease-fire agreement this past summer. The time for action is now or never," Mr. Allmand stated. Following the cease-fire agreement the UN sent 90 military observers to the DRC but they have not yet been deployed outside the capital because of the danger posed by ongoing cease-fire agreement violations.

The problems with the cease-fire implementation have further delayed the sending of the 500-member UN military observer mission. Last week, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the 90 UN military liaison officers to January 15, 2000 and called on the Secretary General for a progress report by mid-December. However, no decision has yet been made on the eventual deployment of peacekeepers.

In a letter to the President of the Organization of African Unity, (OAU) Algerian President, Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika, Mr Allmand further deplored the absence of political will and the international community's lack of leadership in this conflict.

He suggested the OAU must play a key role to help identify those who will facilitate the dialogue within the country, bring all the parties to adhere to the cease-fire agreement and work towards a lasting peace process in the region.

In view of the threats of all out war by the President of the DRC and the January 15 deadlines set by the UN, it appears this is truly "the last chance for peace," Mr Allmand said.

The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development is an independent and non-partisan Canadian institution with an international mandate, working with citizens and governments in Canada and abroad to promote human rights and democratic development through dialogue, capacity building, advocacy and public education. It focuses its programmes and activities in a dozen core countries including Rwanda and Congo-Kinshasa and on four themes: democratic development and justice, women's human rights, indigenous peoples rights and globalization and human rights.