19 12 13 Enough Policy Alert: Rebels Surrendering in Eastern Congo – Time for Feingold and Robinson to Act
This stunning development is part of a larger defection trend that
escalated after the army, along with the United Nations Force Intervention
Brigade, defeated the M23 rebel group in
early November. While this is a very promising trend, the U.S. and U.N. Special
Envoys Russ Feingold and Mary Robinson should quickly urge the Congolese
government to act now to implement a new robust demobilization, disarmament, and
reintegration, or DDR, program. Without this more robust program, the trend is
at risk of reversing.
After
operating in Congo for more than a decade, the U.N. peacekeeping mission,
MONUSCO, has taken on a more vigorous mandate. Following a decision in
March 2013 by the Security Council, the U.N. tasked the Force Intervention
Brigade with carrying out targeted operations to neutralize armed groups and
contribute to civilian security and political stability.
Since
the demise of the M23, elements of over 20 rebel groups across eastern Congo
have either surrendered to the Congolese army or offered to lay down their
weapons. For
example:
· November
14, Maï-Maï Totye surrendered in Manono
territory, Katanga province.
· On
November 19, elements of several groups such as APCLS, APCLS Bord du Lac, and
Nyatura factions including FDDH, MPA, as well as FODP handed in their
weapons in
Bweremana, 54 km southwest of the provincial capital of
Goma.
· On
November 20, Raïa Mukombozi offered to
surrender.
· On
November 22, 60 combatants of the Raïa Mutomboki faction led by
Foka gave
up in
Chulwe, Kabare territory.
· On
November 24, the mayor of Beni city in North Kivu province announced the
surrender of Maï-Maï Kavawaseli and Maï-Maï Jean-Marie.
· On
November 24, elements of FDP led by Mai-Mai Shetani and FDLR capitulated in
Kibuko, Lubero territory.
· On
November 25, MRP surrendered in Kibua, Walikale territory.
· On
November 26, FDP led by Shetani together with its ally FDIPC surrendered in
Kiwanja, Rutshuru territory.
· On
November 27, the armed group NDC led by the infamous Ntabo Ntamberi Sheka
vacatedits
former stronghold of Pinga and is now reported to
be in
the gold village of Angowa, Walikale territory.
· On
the same day, FDC-Guides surrendered in Kiteya, Walikale territory. Maï-Maï
Lafontaine is currently negotiating his surrender with the Congolese
army.
During
a speech in Goma on November 29, President Joseph Kabila asserted that over
4,000 rebels have already entered demobilization camps in eastern Congo. In
contrast, on December 13, the U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said some
2,300 rebels had surrendered their weapons in the past two months or
so.
In
other developments, the rebel group ADF-NALU is also reportedly fleeing
from locations in Beni territory towards Orientale Province since early
December. But while on the run, the group allegedly slaughtered 21
civilians including women and children in the village of Musuku in Rwenzori,
Beni Territory, North Kivu.
Meanwhile,
on December 8, MONUSCO stepped up its pressure on armed groups, offering rebel
groups present in Ituri the chance to surrender. The groups include Cobra
Matata’s FRPI, Morgan’s Maï-Maï Simba, FLPC, and the Ugandan Islamist group, the
ADF. A day later, five officers of the rebel group MAC conceded in Walikale. On
the same day, MONUSCO launched its
first operations against the FDLR in Masisi and Walikale territories. Meanwhile,
on December 10, the Governments of Congo and Burundi pledged to
strengthen their efforts to neutralize the rebel group
FNL.
The
surrender of Hilaire Kombi and the pledge of other rebel groups to lay down their arms is
a promising development. However, it must be accompanied by a robust and better
designed DDR program from the Congolese government. While the Government of
Congo announced a
new plan in late November, it has yet to be publicized and operationalized (for
earlier concept papers, seehere and here;
MONUSCO had urged the
government to finish its plan earlier on November 13). Any DDR program must
offer long-term support for ex-combatants and their home communities, real
security guarantees, and sustainable livelihood alternatives without inducing
others to join rebel groups to reap the DDR benefits.
After
a two-week visit in Goma, DRC’s defense minister Luba Ntambo highlighted on
December 4 the lack of funding and logistics. “Old DDR programs have benefited
substantially from U.N. support, and this one won’t be an exception,” he told
reporters. “There are still some issues [re: implementation and financial
management] between GoDRC and MONUSCO that we need to settle,” he
added.
On
December 10, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs, or OCHA,deplored the
conditions in the temporary disarmament camp in Bweremana, Masisi territory.
According to a MONUSCO representative, there are 1,933 ex-combatants with 958
dependents in the Bweremana demobilization camp, all expecting to benefit from
DDR packages. Similarly, further north in Beni territory, North Kivu, civil
society spokesperson, Lawyer Omar Kavota told Enough Project earlier on
Friday:
“[Congolese]
army troops are sharing the same camp with the [surrendered] rebels. Their
living conditions [in these camps] don’t encourage other
defections.”
In
addition, an army commander in Beni shared his concerns with the Enough
Project:
“[w]e’re
concerned the [surrendered] rebels would possibly leak strategic information to
the ADF [a rebel group the army is considering to launch operations against in
due time] because they can see our equipment and operation
movements.”
To
reiterate, the recent surrenders are a very positive development but if the
Congolese government together with international partners including MONUSCO do
not act swiftly and put in place a robust DDR plan, the momentum might wane so
quickly