DATE=2/11/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=CONGO / PEACEKEEPING
NUMBER=5-45433
BYLINE=JOE DE CAPUA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United States Tuesday introduced a U-N
resolution to create a peacekeeping force for the
Democratic Republic of Congo. The resolution calls
for over five-thousand troops and monitors to be
deployed, but only after a ceasefire firmly takes
hold. V-O-A's Joe De Capua has a report on the
resolution.
TEXT: Questions and criticisms are being raised about
the U-S peacekeeping proposal - including whether 5-
thousand troops and 500-monitors would be enough to do
the job. Some African diplomats at the United Nations
say the number is too small. For example, Rwanda's U-
N Ambassador, Joseph Mutaboba, calls the number
meaningless for a country the size of Congo. The
coming weeks are expected to see efforts to revise the
resolution.
Members of the U-S Congress are also concerned,
especially in light of reports that U-N peacekeepers
in Sierra Leone are being disarmed by rebel troops.
Benjamin Gilman, chairman of the House International
Relations Committee, says the proposal should be
reviewed very carefully. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright told Mr. Gilman's committee that the United
States must be resolute in its determination to help
Congo move from war to peace. But she added the
operation would be a difficult one.
At stake in Congress is the U-S financial contribution
to the peacekeeping force - about 40-million dollars
for the first six months. The overall six month cost
is estimated at 160-million dollars. No American
troops are expected to take part, and European
soldiers might not be included either. The resolution
would allow the peacekeepers to use force to defend
themselves, the monitors and relief workers. They
would not be expected to disarm combatants.
Princeton Lyman is a former U-S Assistant Secretary of
State for International Organization Affairs - and has
served as U-S Ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria.
He's currently a senior fellow at the U-S Institute of
Peace.
Ambassador Lyman says a force of 5-thousand would be
useless under current circumstances.
/// 1ST LYMAN ACT /// (2)
Five thousand troops can't do a job at all if
there is no agreement among the (warring)
parties about a peace plan. Look at Sierra
Leone where the (U-N) Secretary General has just
asked for an increase to 11-thousand. Sierra
Leone is tiny compared to the Congo.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Lyman says it would put the United Nations in the
position of protecting humanitarian operations, but
without the capability of doing so in the event of
large scale fighting.
However, he says, if the United Nations decides to
send a much larger force, it would stir up even more
controversy in several ways.
/// 2ND LYMAN ACT ///
One, by people who think the U-N would be
getting too deep into a complicated conflict
situation. And, on the other hand, by people who
would say that it's too expensive and too soon.
But also, the questioning of what a large force
would do? Would it actually fight against those
who didn't participate in the peace process,
etc? This is the danger of the Congo Situation.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Lyman says what's needed before peacekeeping
missions can be effective is - what he calls - very
heavy diplomatic work. He says the ceasefire
agreement reached last July in Lusaka, Zambia has
failed because there is a great deal of distrust among
the warring parties, even among so-called allies. And
he says the parties have little trust in the United
Nations.
He says the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is
a major struggle over the political and economic
future of the continent.
/// 3RD LYMAN ACT ///
That makes it a much bigger and more difficult
problem than just being a civil war.
/// END ACT ///
Ambassador Lyman says the war is an attempt to decide
whether control of sub-Saharan Africa will be centered
in the south in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Angola -
or in the east in Uganda and Rwanda. (Signed)
NEB/JDC/KL
11-Feb-2000 12:03 PM EDT (11-Feb-2000 1703 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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