Digging in the Eastern Congo Crisis

Joseph Tshilomb Jonathan

Formerly, Legal Advisor to the Congolese Government (1986-1989)

Project Leader at the CPGL, la Communauté des Pays des Grands Lacs

(Transport fluvial & Navigation sur Le Lac Kivu)

A lot of flaws appear in the argumentation of protagonists in the conflict which is actually a genocide against the natives of the North Kivu Province with Goma as main City. The crisis has been fueled by the need for critical minerals, such as coltan, tin and so on...

Caution should be observed while writing on such a sensitive crisis. The last thirty years have been tough for the peoples living in all the African Great Laks Region. Some years before this uncertainty time, peoples use to work together in a spirit of solidarity, cooperatiion and fraternity. A time when we could see students and experts from the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda is still desirable. To those who encourage violence in the Region, I would like to inform that all the higher education in Rwanda, Burundi and Congo was exclusively provided with Congolese financial resources. Let us just mention as example, The Official University of Elisabethville, now Lubumbashi, founded by the Belgian Royal decret in 1955.

The main reason why I am engaging myself in this debate is to try to draft some details of facts which could provide a better solution in solving the issue so that all the peoples in the "Great Lakes Region" could engage in their own development even if they are living in Burundi, Rwanda or the DRC.

Even, after the independence period, the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi were working together for peace and development in the context of the so called "Communauté économic des Grands Lacs", well known under the acronym CEPGL enhancing economic growth in the Region. It was thought that the DRC with more resources would support projects in this Region, something that was successful until the change of Government in Rwanda.

Anyway, there is no security threat which can allow Rwanda to intervene in the conflict! The territorial integrity of the DRC should be principle of solution as recalled in the Security council decision. It is appropriate to mention that Congo has always been host for peoples of Rwanda in search of refuge at different periods of heavy violences taking place in Rwanda. The DRC has been a country providing security both to the Tutsi and Hutu, ethnic groups from Rwanda.

History of the DRC and various decisions taken by the UN Security Council would provide improved understanding of the matter.

This genocide has been ignored by the International Community for practical and economic reasons.

In this essay, I would like to present my own theory which is as follows:

"The main reason of this particular crisis is that " A Nationality issue related to various ethnic groups in North Kivu, at the border between the DRC and Rwanda was unprofessionally solved".

Another question of great relevance is whether "The Tutsi Ethnic Group" could be considered as Congolese. Following this issue a clarification should be made between the Tutsi Ethnic Group which obviously is Rwandan and the Bena Mulenge a group established in Congo during the "Belgian Congo Rwanda Burundi" era!

How did the conflict start?

The appointment of Barthélémy Bisengimana as Head of the Presidential Bureau Under Mobutu Sese Seko 's Regime, 1969

As Chief of the Presidential Office, Mr Barthélémy Bisengimana who was member of the "BanaMulenge" ethnic group helped many peoples from this ethnic group in North and South Kivu acqire land and engage in lucrative business. He was himself from Cyangugu Province in Rwanda.He graduated as electrical engineer from Lovanium University in Kinshasa.

......

To be continued...