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| East/Subsaharan Africa | ||
| UN ready to back French-led force to halt Congo carnage | ||
| 2003-05-30 | ||
| EFL. A French-led force of peace-keepers hoping to halt killings in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to receive United Nations approval today. The 1,000-strong battalion, including some British troops, could be deployed as early as next week. Yep, any day now. But in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, fears were growing of a fresh onslaught. A fierce battle for the town two weeks ago saw the ethnic Lendu population expelled by militia from the rival Hema group. Now the Lendu may be preparing a counter-attack. "Some of their positions are only five kilometres from here. They are regrouping for another attack," said an official in the razor-wire protected UN compound. "We think it's not a matter of if, but when."
"What, you want us to go out there? Are you nuts? We could get killed!"
700 peacekeepers for that area? Yep, you're under-manned. The French resolution in the UN Security Council has met resistance from Uganda and Rwanda, which sparked the DRC war in 1998. Each has supported rival factions in Ituri. If the resolution is passed, the multinational force would be deployed until 1 September. After that, a 1,500-strong Bangladesh-led battalion is expected to police the DRC. Everybody gets a turn. Wonder who's paying for the Bengladeshis to keep the "peace"? Oh wait, I know. But to prevent further massacres, the question now is the strength of the mandate. France's ambassador to the UN, Jean-Marc de la SabliÚre, wants his men to have the right to open fire to protect endangered civilians. Otherwise you might as well stay home. Any strengthened mission would also have to examine the possibility of intervening in disputes outside the city in isolated villages that are difficult to reach. M. Grignon said: "Look, this town is bloody empty. The force needs to be able to stop massacres taking place in the rural areas." Atrocities such as the massacre at Nyakunde village last year, which left 1,200 dead, could be taking place. But for now, nobody knows because the area is inaccessible to UN troops and aid agencies. Here you go, "United Europe": a chance to walk the walk. Put a brigade in there and clean the place out. | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #11 You know if I was standing there with automatic weapons watching innocent civilians being slaughtered and little girls being raped,then orders or no orders the bastards die.Personal consequences be damned,sometimes a person has to do the right thing.If these"soldiers"didn't do something then they are cowards. |
| Posted by: Raptor 2003-05-31 06:39:29 |
| #10 UN ready to back French-led force to halt Congo carnage Back it with WHAT? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-05-30 22:07:48 |
| #9 hmmmm. 1. French military prowess 2. French cooking 3. Rampant cannibalism ..... Does anyone else see a serendipitious connection here? |
| Posted by: Luigi 2003-05-30 19:55:24 |
#8 Some mutilated bodies bore evidence of cannibalism. Come to Africa. Delicious food. Friendly people... Um, I mean, friendly food, delicious people and blue helmets as far as the eye can see! |
| Posted by: Celissa 2003-05-30 18:20:08 |
| #7 If I were the Congolese I would feel great knowing the UN and France are going to protect me. Just wait right there for your next meal, oh that's right you ARE the next meal! |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-05-30 15:14:41 |
| #6 Ptah, I saw that article as well, though I didn't save it or the URL. It was in the Sudan, I believe (Uganda maybe???). The village elders and adult men brought out their old Enfield rifles and put down a force of AK-armed muslim thugs, on their way to loot and destroy said village, in a running ambush and skirmish operation. Hermetic: don't you know that it's different when the French do it? Just ask the rest of the EU. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-05-30 13:27:20 |
| #5 I thought that violence never solves anything. Why then are the French sending soldiers? |
| Posted by: Hermetic 2003-05-30 12:44:47 |
| #4 The UN AND the French? Oh, this'll work out just great. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-05-30 07:56:24 |
| #3 If there is quiet, it is only because the Lendu have fled. But there is a steady drip of violence - isolated shootings by night, some looting by day and the rape of girls as young as 10. Their uniformed male schoolmates roam the half-deserted streets, swinging sub-machine guns they are barely big enough to handle. What's needed is a bit of the Second Amendment here. The superficial spin in this statement is that these 10 year old boys using guns to protect their classmates are part of the problem, not the solution. Sorry I don't have a link to the article, but it was on Strategypage and talked about how, with a few weapons and unconventional tactics, a small village was able to keep itself secure from the chaos surrounding it when some muslims came calling. Don't waste dough on peacekeepers. Send in choppers to distribute lots of guns, ammo, and radios to report attacks, and let the locals particiapte in sorting it out. Shoot to defend yourself and ALL defenders, regardless of side. This means being able to support Village A if they're being invaded on Monday, and then shooting their men up on Wednesday if they're invading Village B in revenge. The idea of "defend your village, don't go raiding" will eventually sink in. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-05-30 07:27:35 |
| #2 Now, let me get this straight. A large group of civilians in Congo are committing genocide, and elements of the French Army are going to... what: fly in and put up some concertina wire, break out the wine and the xbox? The problem I have with this is that a French military unit is going to be deployed in a military situation, with no military orders and no military plans. The best way to stop the genocide to to overrun the country and take it over in a military operation, but instead this force will be flown in with at best unclear orders, with instructions that can be best described as making them spectators in a brutal event. I also find it incredible the ambassador wants French forces to be able to open fire to stop massacres. I think once the French arrive they will be hard pressed not to open fire to protect their own people. And just who are the French going to fire upon? Un-uniformed civilians. |
| Posted by: badanov 2003-05-30 06:44:54 |
| #1 There is a piece of "United Europe" military that works. It's called Légion Étrangère. I'm afraid UN troops will just be fresh food. Literally. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-05-30 04:13:52 |