Leaders must think of their backyards first before global pacts and aspirations
Silence Charumbira
Africa’s Great Lakes region has long been a stage for geopolitical struggles, with various countries and international powers vying for influence and control over its vast resources and strategic locations.
One of the most recent examples is the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo in which Burundi and the Southern Africa Development Community – led by South Africa, have deployed troops to fight a Congolese rebel movement known as the M23.
The conflict has raised serious concerns as these intervention forces are fighting alongside the Genocidal Forces – the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), who fled to the eastern DRC after committing Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), made up of remnants of the perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994.
The FDLR are operating in eastern DRC where they are committing another genocide against Congolese Tutsis and trying to destabilise Rwanda in a bid to topple the government in Kigali.
The M23 is fighting to stop the killing and exclusion of Congolese Tutsi in that region.
The genesis of this conflict can be traced back to the Genocide against the Tutsi 30 years ago, in which the sectarian government in Rwanda planned and carried out a systematic killing of the Tutsi community.
Within 100 days over one million people were killed in cold blood as the government forces and militias went on a bloodletting ruthless campaign that shocked the world.
Ordinary people were also mobilised by the genocidal government to join in the mass killings which were only stopped after the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) led by the now President, Paul Kagame, defeated the genocidal forces and drove them from power.
After driving out the genocidal regime, the RPF established a broad-based government to rebuild Rwanda into an inclusive society.
But the remnants of the genocidal forces regrouped in the eastern DRC where they are continuing with their agenda of exterminating the Tutsi community.
A rebel movement defected from the DRC army, M23, with the aim of stopping another genocide against the Tutsi in the eastern Congo.
Despite the M23 being a Congolese rebel force that defected from the army, Rwanda has been accused of supporting the rebel group. Meanwhile, over 125 armed groups are operating in eastern DRC leading to widespread human rights abuses and environmental destruction as the groups are wantonly exploiting natural resources in the eastern DRC.
Rwanda has vehemently denied supporting the M23 arguing it is an internal DRC conflict.
The latest episode has seen SADC member states; South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, deploying an intervention force to fight the M23 rebels, has raised eyebrows. If there are 125 rebel groups in DRC, why is the focus seemingly on M23 only?
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What is clear is that the DRC government successfully convinced Sadc to believe that the M23 rebels are receiving support and sympathy from Kigali therefore it is apparent that the South African led intervention force is in fact fighting Rwanda and not rebels.
If it was a fight against rebels, then Sadc’s efforts would have been focused on fighting all rebels in the eastern DRC region.
This raises questions about the true intentions of Sadc in the DRC conflict and whether their actions are truly aimed at bringing peace and stability to the region.
It also highlights the complex web of alliances and interests at play in the conflict, which can be easily resolved if there is political will on the part of Kinshasa.
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has unequivocally stated that the DRC government should disarm genocidal forces who fled into its territory after committing the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 in line with the Sun City Agreement signed between Kigali and Kinshasa in April 2002.
Mbeki said the disarmament of these negative forces under the existing Sun City Agreement can ensure that peace and stability is achieved in the eastern DRC.
The agreement was signed in April 2003 in South Africa’s casino resort, Sun City under the watchful eye of the then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
It was seen as the panacea to the problems besetting eastern DRC, but Mbeki said the agreement was unfortunately never implemented.
The former South African leader said implementation of the Sun City Agreement would bring a political solution to the instability in eastern DRC as the current framework does not work.
Unfortunately, the DRC has chosen to disregard this peace pact.
Again, another panacea to the DRC conflict is to apply the framework that gives priority to domestic solutions for domestic problems and regional solutions for regional problems.
As Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, was recently quoted in the media, it is surprising that a domestic conflict between the DRC government and its citizens has resulted in the intervention of Sadc as well as Burundi forces.
The international community has struggled to address these conflicts, with peacekeeping efforts often falling short and diplomatic initiatives failing to bring about lasting solutions.
The United Nations and the African Union have both been involved in trying to mediate the disputes, but progress has been slow and the situation remains volatile.
The DRC internal conflict which has drawn in SADC forces and Burundi is just one example of the complex web of geopolitical interests at play in Africa. From the scramble for resources to the strategic positioning of military bases, the continent has become a battleground for competing powers seeking to assert their influence and control.
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the importance of Africa in global geopolitics will only continue to grow. It is crucial that the international community works together to address the root causes of conflict in the region and support efforts to promote peace, stability, and development for all its people. Only then can Africa truly fulfill its potential as a key player on the world stage.
The Great Lakes Region is currently the platform for a grander global fight and therein lies the problem. Noble as it is that all the countries involved in the conflict have chosen their preferred political paths, the challenge remains that the political direction seems divorced from the real need for a united community.
There is no problem with choosing sides in the geopolitical fight but before they become players in the global political scene, African countries must first clean-up their backyards by coming up with a consensus among themselves.
Burundi for example, continues to regress in as far as socioeconomic development is concerned.
African leaders must listen to the voice of reason. The world cannot continue taking Africa seriously when Africa itself does not take its issues seriously. Tensions in the Great Lakes must be informed first by the realistic and reasonable aspirations of each individual country and then the regional aspirations before we go to global politics.
Domestic aspirations first before global politics
It is crucial for African leaders to prioritise the needs and aspirations of their own countries and regions before engaging in global politics. By addressing internal issues and conflicts first, they can build a stronger foundation for cooperation and development within the continent. Only then can Africa truly be taken seriously on the global stage.
It is important for Sadc to ensure that their efforts in the DRC are focused on addressing the root causes of the conflict. It must address the disease, not just the symptoms.
Clearly, targeting one specific armed group in the DRC while giving a blind eye to all the 124 armed groups will not address the disease afflicting the DRC.
Ultimately, the goal should be bringing all parties to the negotiating table and finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict that addresses the underlying issues and allows for sustainable peace and development in the DRC. This will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including neighboring countries, international organisations, and local communities, to work together towards a common goal of peace and stability in the region.
It is for this reason that I find Kagame’s recent statements profound.
He was quoted by New Times Rwanda saying the ongoing mediation efforts would be futile if the proposed negotiations were premised on one party set demands prior to the commencement of the negotiations.
Said Kagame, “You don’t want to have discussions and then start by laying down your conditions. It’s the wrong way to go about it. But I think sometimes people are playing to the gallery, posturing in the media and so forth. I don’t know what that gives us. It only confuses the problem and makes it harder.
“I hope as we go forward, the mediator will try to eliminate that. Otherwise, we have heard so many things. If you talk about the preconditions, that would suggest that maybe we come up with preconditions as well. That means we wouldn’t have a meeting point and therefore the problem wouldn’t be addressed as it should be, because I could easily say I want to preserve security until he reverses his statements about “attacking” Rwanda and “carrying out regime change” in Rwanda, as he has publicly talked about. I would also say that unless the FDLR is removed from Congo, I don’t want to talk to president Tshisekedi,” Kagame said recently.
