PoliticsCongo: Civil War: Rebel coalition formed in the Kivus region

Christian Science Monitor [jan26,2k11] 

More bad news from Africa.  Jason Stearns, an expert on the Great Lakes region of Black Africa, reports:

Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo met in Kigali [DRC] last week to discuss the military situation in the eastern Congo. At the end of the meeting, they alleged that a new coalition of rebel groups had formed in the Kivus region, including such unlikely allies such as the FPLC, Mai-Mai Sheka, FDLR, Mai-Mai Yakutumba and FDLR-Soki.

• 
  
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• DRC's president 
  J
  oseph 
  K
  abila 
• (38 years old)
•  
• has expressed a desire for a life-time term in office.  
• 
  
• To secure this, presumably, he would have to engineer an amendment to DR Congo's constitution.  
• 
  
• Presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for 
  

  N

  ov27,2k11.

  
  
  
  
• -- AfricaNews.com --

  "DRC's Kabila wants life presidency" by Prof. Bent Mboyo Ndombo Francis

Some sources familiar with the closed-door meeting suggest that the three countries were not just sharing information. Allegedly, new joint military operations on Congolese soil are being discussed. Congo Siasa reported a possible joint operation between the Congolese and Rwandan armies in November, but talk of such a plan subsided as tensions within the CNDP decreased; most importantly, the Congolese government decided not to move ex-CNDP units out of the Kivus, the CNDP political party joined the ruling AMP coalition and some ex-CNDP military ranks were confirmed. The massive recruitment drive Gen. Bosco Ntaganda had carried out between September and December relented somewhat, although some forced recruitment continues.

Those, like me, who desire peace in Africa will be waiting a long time before that elusive condition blossoms in the perennially conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo, a land-locked country in the centre of the subSaharan vastness of the continent.  The alleged cross-over of ''two Rwandan dissidents, Col. Patrick Karegeya and Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa'' is especially disappointing to those who monitor developments in DRC.

-- Politicarp