DRC: Instability in the two Kivus requires the humanitarian community's vigilance

For six months now, the South Kivu Province has been affected by a succession of crises. Events that occurred in Bukavu in May and June 2004, in Uvira in September and October, and in Bukavu today again are all linked by a common denominator: the Congolese communities' capacity to live peacefully together.

The first one broke out when two insurgent officers took Bukavu town in order according to them, to protect Banyamulenge community who was the victim of exactions. The second one came out in Uvira when a part of this community, who sought refuge in Burundi following fighting in Bukavu, wanted to return home. The third one, as in the Uvira crisis, concerns the current attempts by the refugees to return from Rwanda.

Since May, the international community has deployed, for each crisis, a range of means aimed at containing these tensions and at keeping the region stable. The recent events in Bukavu have once again shown the international community's capacity to effectively moderate the positions of each of the conflicting parties.

Around 1200 Congolese refugees whish to leave Cyangugu in Rwanda and come back to the DRC in spite of the hostility expressed by the population back home. Within a more and more exacerbated context of ethnic exclusion, messages of hatred have circulated among the population. The later has also been prompted to throw stones at the refugees if they decide to cross the border. In addition, an anti Banyamulenge petition signed by some 50 inhabitants from Bukavu, have been issued.

Meanwhile, efforts undertaken by the international community have been successful in postponing this voluntary repatriation operation, initially scheduled on 11 November 2004. This delay is intended to allow the authorities to sensitize the local population towards these pending arrivals and to settle related issues such as property and professional litigations.

The accumulation of crises since May 2004 poses the legitimate question of knowing how long the international community's actions will be able to defuse these tensions that are fed by several factors.

Important troops' gathering, belonging to the « Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda » (FDLR), have been observed in the Ruzizi plain. Movements have also been sighted towards the North, in the High Plateau, around Ngongo, near the Rwandan border, and in the Luburo Territory. The FDLR activism finds its roots, according to regional analyses, in their determination to obtain the opening of an inter Rwandese dialogue and to be recognized as an opposition political force before the Great Lakes Conference that will take place on the 19th and the 20th November, in Dar as Salaam - Tanzania.

Insecurity caused by the FDLR groups combined with the unrest resulting from other various armed groups activities notably the one operating in the Walungu Territory, have led the DRC national army (FARDC), supported by MONUC, to launch an operation in this area last week. The first objective of the mission is to put an end to the serious Human Rights abuses experienced by the Walungu civilian population by protecting them from these armed groups, said the MONUC spokesperson. Besides, exactions perpetrated by these elements have created a worrying humanitarian situation while humanitarian access became difficult due to insecurity.

The second objective consists of sensitizing and persuading foreign armed groups to join the volunteer disarmament programme through the DDRRR (Disarmament Demobilisation Repatriation, Reinstallation and Reinsertion). MONUC has invited them to take this last opportunity, added the spokesman according the official communiqué.

An improvement of the security situation in the sub-region depends partly on the success of this military operation. It is to be noted that most stabilisation efforts are currently focusing on the South Kivu in general and in Bukavu in particular. However, experience shows that crises in the Great Lakes region broke out where they were less expected. This reality renders difficult their prevention and the implementation of contingency plans by the humanitarian organisation in order to bring a proper response.

The humanitarian community's focus turn also to the North Kivu which is affected by tensions resulting from the army integration (in Kanyabayonga, Walikale, Masisi, or Sake and Minova in the South Kivu), the increasing insecurity in Goma town and the upsurge of foreign armed groups activities. A particular attention is given to Burundi as the country is going through a sensitive phase. General elections that should have ended a three-year transitional period have been postponed for six months. A provisional constitution has been grudgingly accepted by Burundian political parties. Vice-President Alphonse Kadege has just been dismissed by President Ndayizeye. The confusion and the lack of confidence resulting from this situation could generate disorders that could affect the two Kivu in the DRC.

Insecurity prevailing in the sub-region requires from humanitarian actors a constant vigilance in order to respond timely and properly to crises that could break out anytime, contaminate the entire region and drastically reduce humanitarian access to vulnerable persons in areas of greater humanitarian needs.