In a significant move toward regional stability, Rwanda and security and intelligence experts from the Great Lakes region are meeting in Luanda, Angola, to review and agree on the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) regarding the neutralization of the notorious FDLR.
Initiatives to neutralize FDLR however have never been met with enthusiasm in Kinshasa, far from it! Why? Because the Tshisekedi regime in fact is the chief backer of the Rwandan genocidal group. Tshisekedi has gone so far as to integrate FDLR into his national army, the FARDC!
The Congolese ruler does all this knowing very well that FDLR poses a persistent threat to peace in the east of his country, and is a menace to peace in the wider region.
The CONOPS framework is an essential strategy, involving the collaboration of regional partners to establish clear objectives, roles, and responsibilities in the fight against FDLR.
Unsurprisingly, given the Tshisekedi regime’s being in bed with FDLR, Kinshasa is a major stumbling block to peace, or any discussions, initiatives or plans that might lead to peace.
Its abject unwillingness to act against the FDLR has hindered previous initiatives meant to restore peace in eastern DRC, and it has allowed the militia group to keep terrorizing Congolese civilians.
Kinshasa’s stance naturally led to a group such as the M23 taking up arms to fights for the rights of Kinyarwanda-speaking communities of the east, whom Tshisekedi together with FDLR have targeted for ethnic cleaning.
M23 can never put down arms as long as a group like FDLR exists.
At the same time, it is evident that neutralizing FDLR would require efforts and genuine political will from Kinshasa that they simply don’t have. In fact what they have is the opposite!
The world must put much more pressure on Kinshasa, if initiatives such as CONOPS are to have a chance.
ellenkampire