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Congo RDC - Echoes from Kisangani
SOCIAL CONDIT.
«The permanent danger of confrontation between Rwandans and Ugandans hangs over the heads of the people like the sword of Damocles». So wrote a correspondent from Kisangani at the end of April. His description of what life was like just before the recent confrontations between Rwandans and Ugandans, makes for interesting reading
For a long time now, the city of Kisangani has been occupied by Congolese rebels opposed to the central government in Kinshasa. But Kisangani’s citizens are somewhat mystified: Why have these rebels taken over the city and what’s their intentions, because they don’t seem very concerned about the people’s needs? Are they conducting the war for themselves or on behalf of others whom they call their «allies?»
The rebels plus the Rwandans, invaded Kisangani on 23 August 1999, defeating the government forces. The local people were completely taken by surprise and felt somewhat let-down by the course of events. The government forces had seemed to be more than capable of controlling the situation; also, the people found it difficult to understand why this second war was taking place, coming as it did, only one year after the first, (also described as a «war of liberation»). In less than two weeks, the rebels (clearly led by the Rwandans), took command of the situation within Kisangani and proceeded to change the political and administrative leaders both in the province and in the city. The Customs and Tax offices, in particular, had to toe the line.
Some time afterwards, the Ugandan «allies» also turned up; to do what, no one seemed to know. Well-equipped, they settled into places different to those of the Rwandans.
What struck one immediately was that, obviously on orders from the Rwandans, the rebels emptied the contents of the Central Bank at Kisangani and took everything to Goma and, worse still, to Kigali. They said that all the State’s income must now be directed towards the war effort. The capture of Mbuji-Mayi was considered a first priority and then, onwards, to Kinshasa. The peoples’ welfare comes afterwards.
The Ugandans for their part, seem to be in no hurry to carry forward the war; they’re more interested in the «business» side of things: i.e. exploiting the gold, diamonds and wood; exporting coffee and palm oil, of course they don’t pay any tax into the State’s coffers. The Rwandans are also up to the same tricks, especially in the aviation business.
Dissension
When Wamba dia Wamba lost his post as leader of the Goma faction of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma) and set up a new wing of the rebel movement in Kisangani, establishing his headquarters in the textile factory, the Ugandans allied themselves to him. Wamba is well thought of by a deluded population who believed him when he said he was determined to bring about peace. All this, to the dissatisfaction of the Rwandan forces who fear they could lose their leadership position in Kisangani. The city is now sitting on a powder keg ready to explode. In fact, there have already been two «explosions» and a third is in sight.
The first took place in May 1999. All it took was a minor provocation of the Ugandan soldiers by the RCD-Goma faction Congolese soldiers, and everything blew up. The RCD-Goma soldiers were sandwiched in front of the Congo-Palace Hotel, caught in a crossfire which lasted for more than five hours. The outcome: material damage to the hotel and surrounding houses, and about thirty people killed. A few hours later, Wamba appeared in the town surrounded by tanks. He was given a standing ovation by a large crowd during a huge meeting in front of the Wagenia Hotel, to his supporters’ great satisfaction.
The second took place from 17-19 August right in the middle of the UN‘s anti-polio campaign. A few days earlier, there had been a certain tense feeling in the city. People knew something was about «to give». The Ugandans took up position in different corners of the city, digging sniper holes and circulating with their tanks. The Rwandans reinforced their troops with soldiers from Burundi. The Congolese RCD-Goma soldiers, for their part, took up positions behind one or other camp without really understanding much of what was happening.
In the evening of 16 August, heavy arms fire in the direction of the airport could be heard. Then, on Sunday 17 August, a little after midday, as if a whistle had been blown, shooting could be heard in all sections of the town. Everybody had to stay where they were, without moving, for bullets were flying everywhere. The action continued all night and on into Monday. The political and military authorities of the two so-called «allied» countries had an urgent meeting and it was decided to end hostilities after 3 P.M. on Tuesday 19 August. More than 500 people, both military and civilians, were killed on both sides. Also, there was a considerable amount of material damage. Wamba had to leave Kisangani along with his followers.
Fears
People are afraid there’s going to be a third explosion. The pretext always seems to be the same: control of the city of Kisangani and political leadership. According to some sources, the «allies» have signed an agreement at Kabale in Uganda, according to which the Rwandans will occupy the three Kivus (north, south and Maniema) and the Ugandans the eastern province. The Rwandans, however, don’t understand this in the same way, saying they’re the ones who «liberated» Kisangani.
The Rwandan-Ugandan military commission, set up immediately after the second battle of Kisangani, decided that the city would remain neutral under the control of the mixed Rwandan-Ugandan military police and the Congolese police. The two occupying armies would camp outside the town: the Rwandans on the road to Lubutu, the Ugandans on the roads to Ituri and Buta. These decisions came after they had «divided out» control of the two airports — Simi-Simi for the Rwandans and Bangboka for the Ugandans.
Hardly had these decisions been taken and put into practice, when Rwandan troops once again reappeared in the town towards the parish of St.Gabriel. Today, it’s the Ugandans who seem to be on the move as if to squeeze the town in a vice. One battalion has left its encampment in Bafwasende, another, the one on the road to Banalia, to invade the police training camp on the same road. The Rwandan soldiers seem to have once again reinforced their numbers through the addition of Burundian soldiers.
The Ugandans have formed a barricade at the Tshopo bridge. Recently, a group of policemen, on their way to their training camp were turned back at the bridge by the Ugandans. A few days later, there was almost an incident between the Ugandan and Rwandan soldiers when the latter wanted to cross the bridge. The worst was just averted because the Rwandans were fewer in number.
Latterly, Ugandans officers have been seen criss-crossing the town on foot inspecting various locations. This makes one think that preparations for another war are afoot — harbingers of yet a third explosion in Kisangani.
An intolerable situation
All right-thinking Congolese are shocked by what’s happened to them and their country in the past two years. First of all, two neighbouring countries, members of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity, with exactly the same status as Congo RDC, have taken upon themselves to invade Congo’s territory by as much as 2,000 kms, under the very eyes of these international organisations. Rwanda and Uganda justify their incursions by saying they’re in hot pursuit of remnants of the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) [the former government of Rwanda’s army] and the Interahamwe. The Congolese have never seen these so-called enemies anywhere in their country, but Rwanda and Uganda say they’ve been after them for six years.
It can’t be denied that some Congolese, both civil and military, have accepted to tie in their lot with these aggressive, destructive, pillaging foreigners. Downright collaborators! And the foreign soldiers in our country seem to be almost laughing at us for this. You can hear them declare to all who are prepared to listen: «You Congolese are idiots; you’ve sold your own country!» Moreover, it’s obvious whose in charge both on the political and the military levels. It’s the foreigners! It makes one almost believe that it’s the Congolese who are the «allies» of the Rwandans and the Ugandans, and not the contrary.
What’s been happening to us? We used to be so proud of ourselves and our country, so how have we managed to become good-for-nothing slaves in such short a time? If we don’t manage to pull ourselves together and emerge from this present-day self-afflicted national shame; if we don’t manage to distinguish between good and evil, justice and injustice, truth and falsehood, then in a short time, we’ll be recolonised forever by another country.
We’ve just heard that a new cease-fire agreement has been signed and that the «allies» have decided to withdraw their troops from Congo RDC within three months. Let’s hope something will come from this agreement and that never again will Congolese allow their country to be occupied and exploited by foreigners. And especially, may that thorn in the side of Kisangani’s people, i.e. the presence of Rwandan and Ugandan military forces, be pulled out as soon as possible.
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