DATE=11/25/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41975
TITLE=CONGO/WAR
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THERE IS GROWING INTERNATIONAL CONCERN OVER THE CONTINUED
WARFARE IN CONGO, AND THE FAILURE -- THUS FAR -- OF AFRICAN
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO BRING THE KINSHASA GOVERNMENT AND THE
CONGOLESE REBELS TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. TROOPS FROM AT LEAST
EIGHT AFRICAN NATIONS ARE ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT, ALONG
WITH A VARIETY OF MILITIA GROUPS, PROMPTING FEARS OF A WIDER WAR
AND A NEW GENOCIDE, PERHAPS EVEN WORSE THAT THE 1994 MASS KILLING
IN RWANDA. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS FILED THIS BACKGROUND REPORT.
TEXT: SOUTHERN AFRICAN LEADERS HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR WEEKS TO
DEVISE A FORMULA THAT WOULD BRING THE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT AND
REBELS TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, BUT SO FAR WITHOUT SUCCESS.
CONSTANCE FREEMAN, AFRICAN AFFAIRS ANALYST AT THE WASHINGTON
CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, SAYS THE IMPASSE
HAS LEFT WESTERN POLICY MAKERS UNCERTAIN OF HOW BEST TO SUPPORT
THE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS.
///FREEMAN ACT///
I SEE IN BOTH EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES A SENSE OF
NOT QUITE KNOWING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PUSH THIS PROCESS
FORWARD, SO I AM AFRAID IT IS A BIG CONFUSING. THE
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THOSE TWO PARTIES NEED TO GET TO THE
TABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, AND THE KINSHASA GOVERNMENT
IS REFUSING TO DO THAT.
///END ACT///
THE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT HAS HINTED THAT IT MIGHT ACCEPT A
FORMULA WHEREBY THE REBELS ARE INCLUDED IN A DELEGATION OF THEIR
SUPPORTERS, RWANDA AND UGANDA. BUT ANALYSTS LIKE CONSTANCE
FREEMAN, SAY THEY DOUBT WHETHER KINSHASA IS REALLY INTERESTED IN
PEACE TALKS FOR THE TIME BEING.
///FREEMAN ACT///
I THINK THEY (CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT) HAVE A DEEP-SEATED
RELUCTANCE TO SIT AT A TABLE WITH THE REBELS IN ANY
FASHION BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE REBELS ARE COMING FROM
THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT, AND THAT THERE IS FAIRLY CLEAR
EVIDENCE, MOST RECENTLY FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THAT
BOTH HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND CORRUPTION HAVE BEEN
PRETTY RIFE IN THAT GOVERNMENT. /// OPT /// SITTING AT
THE TABLE ACROSS FROM FORMER MEMBERS WHO ARE AWARE OF
ALL OF THOSE DETAILS AND COULD BRING THEM UP WOULD BE
VERY EMBARRASSING. /// END OPT ///
///END ACT///
/// OPT /// MS. FREEMAN BELIEVES THERE IS ANOTHER EXPLANATION
FOR THE CONGOLESE RELUCTANCE TO NEGOTIATE -- A SENSE THAT ANY
PEACE SETTLEMENT WOULD INEVITABLY LESSEN THE POWERS OF PRESIDENT
LAURENT KABILA.
///FREEMAN ACT///
I THINK THAT HE DEEPLY FEARS THAT GOING TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE WITH THE REBELS OR WITH THE OTHER
ACTORS INCLUDING RWANDA, BURUNDI AND SOME OF THE
COUNTRIES THAT ARE BACKING HIM WOULD TEND TO MOVE HIM
OUT OF POWER, HOWEVER THAT IS DONE. IF IT MOVES TOWARD
MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS AND AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT, OR
VARIATIONS ON THAT THEME, HE IS LIKELY TO LOSE SOME OF
THE POWER THAT HE CURRENTLY HOLDS, AND HE IS VERY VERY
UNHAPPY ABOUT DOING THAT.
///END ACT/// /// END OPT ///
IN ITS LATEST REPORT ON THE CONGOLESE SITUATION, AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL SAYS THAT BOTH SIDES ARE GUILTY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSE, INCLUDING THE KILLING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS. MS. FREEMAN
FEARS THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION
IS FOUND.
///FREEMAN ACT///
ONE OF THE THINGS I FEAR IS THAT CONGO WILL DESCEND INTO
CONDITIONS OF WAR LORD-ISM THAT MIGHT RESEMBLE CHINA IN
THE 1930'S AND 40'S WITH ALL KINDS OF WARLORDS OR LOCAL
LEADERS TAKING OVER SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY AND WARRING
ON EACH OTHER ALONG WITH THE REBEL GROUPS WHO ARE
FLOATING BACK AND FORTH WITHIN THAT REGION.
///END ACT///
MS. FREEMAN SAYS THAT SITUATION WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO MORE
MASS KILLINGS AND THE SAME KIND OF INTER-ETHNIC HATRED THAT
TOUCHED OFF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO. THE
AUTHORS OF THAT MASS KILLING -- RWANDA'S FORMER ARMY AND ITS
MILITIA ALLIES -- ARE NOW FIGHTING ALONGSIDE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT
TROOPS
FEAR OF A NEW GENOCIDE WAS CLEARLY A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR U-S
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE SUSAN RICE, WHEN SHE TOURED THE
REGION EARLIER THIS MONTH.
///RICE ACT///
WE EMPHASIZED THAT THERE ARE THOSE OPERATING IN THE
REGION COMMITTED TO GENOCIDAL POLICIES. AND THOSE
IMPLICATED IN GENOCIDE ARE GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY. COMPLICITY WITH THOSE PEOPLE IS UNACCEPTABLE
TO US AND TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
ALL THOSE IN THE CONFLICT IN THE CONGO HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO PREVENT GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC VIOLENCE, AND
THOSE WHO DO NOT MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
///END ACT///
CONSTANCE FREEMAN SAYS THERE IS HIGH-LEVEL CONCERN IN WASHINGTON
ABOUT THE CONGO CRISIS, BUT ADDS THAT IT MUST BE PUT INTO
PERSPECTIVE.
///FREEMAN ACT///
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO WEIGH U-S CONCERN ABOUT AFRICAN
ISSUES VIS-A-VIS THE OTHER CRISES GOING ON IN THE WORLD.
IF IT IS THE MIDDLE EAST, IF IT IS THE ASIAN ECONOMIC
CRISIS, IF IT IS NORTH KOREA RE-ARMING -- THOSE ALL SEEM
TO BE GETTING FAR MORE ATTENTION THAN WHAT IS GOING ON
IN CENTRAL AFRICA. AND SO IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN,
UNFORTUNATELY.
///END ACT///
MS. FREEMAN SAYS WASHINGTON'S ROLE SHOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE AFRICAN LEADERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING
THE WARRING FACTIONS IN CONGO TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/GE
25-Nov-98 2:40 PM EST (1940 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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