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Congo-Brazzaville Misunderstandings between the two Congos |
INTERFERENCE
The on-going war in Congo RDC is likely to keep alive for some time to
come,
the climate of suspicion between Congo-Brazzaville and Congo RDC.
Both countries’ Media are adding fuel to the fire
High level contacts have recently been taking place between the authorities in Congo-Brazzaville and Congo RDC. But as long as Congo RDC‘s war continues, there’s little hope that the climate of suspicion between the neighbouring countries will disappear. For example, on 6 September, while the two Heads of State, Sassou Nguesso (Congo-Brazza) and Laurent Désiré Kabila (Congo RDC) were at the Millennium Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Radio Kinshasa announced that the unrest which had broken out the previous day in Tchatchi Military Camp, was caused by 1,500 mercenaries coming from Brazzaville.
It’s not the first time that the Media in Kinshasa has baited its neighbour just across the Congo River (i.e. Brazzaville). Indeed, since fighting broke out between Kabila’s forces and Jean-Pierre Bemba’s rebels in Ecuador region, north-west Congo RDC, on the border area with Congo Brazzaville, it’s become quite normal for Kinshasa’s press to openly proclaim that the Brazza authorities are supporting the rebels, indeed are accomplices in the rebellion against Kabila. Kinshasa’s Media suspects President Nguesso of sending mercenaries to fight with Bemba’s rebels.
In an interview, Congo-Brazza’s Defense Minister, Mr. Lekoundzou Ithi Ossetoumba underlined: «We don’t have any problem with our friends on the opposite side of the river (Congo). They don’t have any specific proof that we are helping the rebels. There have been “noises” made. Some people have said (i.e. Kabila’s soldiers) that while they were fighting, we were firing on them from behind. All that’s just talk which wouldn’t stand up in any court. It’s even been said that Jonas Savimbi’s forces have passed through Brazzaville en route to fight with Bemba’s rebels. But where would they have come from? It’s unbelievable what people will say.»
These rumours are especially widespread within the Congolese (RDC) community living in Brazzaville. Brazza’s newspapers, eager to get any tit-bits of sensational information, just like their confrères «across the water», have been severely reprimanded by the Communications Minister, Mr. François Ibovi. He says these publications have published what they call «information» but which, in reality, cannot be substantiated. One of these, the weekly magazine L’Observateur, wrote that: «Brazzaville, directly or indirectly, plays an important role as a country of transit in Congo RDC‘s war. It’s geographical position is such that it can be used by Bemba’s rebels». Jean-Pierre Bemba, son of one of Mobutu’s big-wigs is said to have (according to L’Observateur) in Brazzaville, a number of networks which recruit men, buy weapons and forward them to Ecuador via the Congo River. All this with the full knowledge and assistance of «certain Congo-Brazza officers». This information, which caused a strong paranoia within the population of Brazzaville and Kinshasa, has been contradicted many times by the Brazzaville authorities.
This isn’t fresh news by any means. Already in the past, these two countries have attacked each other over the airwaves, the charges being more or less true. Thus, in the 1960s and 1970s, people who opposed the Marxist regime in Brazzaville came from Kinshasa to try to overthrow the government. It’s also common knowledge that in the past, Congo-Brazza has supported movements out to make life hard for the capitalist regimes in such countries as Zaire (now Congo RDC), Cameroon, the Central African Republic.
At the beginning of the 1970s, Zaire and Congo-Brazza nearly went to war with each other. Thanks to the intervention of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its secretary-general, Diallo Telli (Guinea), an armed confrontation was avoided. And during the 1998-1999 war in Congo-Brazza, the Brazzaville authorities suspected Kabila’s regime of helping Bernard Kolelas’ rebel Ninjas, who were fighting against the government forces.
Non-aggression pacts
For two years, both Congos have been aware that there could be an uncontrolled downward spiral into a war situation. So, on 29 December 1998, Presidents Kabila and Nguesso concluded a non-aggression pact which, in its Article 3, stipulates: «The parties to the Agreement undertake to prevent their respective territories, territorial waters and airspace from being used as bases for aggression against the other country, or destabilizing its institutions. To this end, the parties to the Agreement undertake to prohibit and prevent the constitution and the installation on their respective territories, of irregular forces or armed bands as well as mercenaries. The parties to the Agreement also undertake to start dismantling on their respective territories, arms dumps, lodging and transit facilities of all forces hostile to the other party.» To try to consolidate the application of these Agreements, regional Heads of State have also lately multiplied their contacts. On 27 October, a mini-summit was held in Kinshasa, between Kabila, Sassou and Dos Santos. All promised to help Kabila in the war.
Precarious humanitarian situation
While waiting for the end of the civil war in Congo RDC, the economic life along the Congo and Oubangui Rivers is in danger. River boats have stopped their regular services, or, at the very least, keep them to a minimum because of all the risks involved in plying up and down the rivers in the present situation. People have not forgotten that Kabila’s soldiers are active on the rivers. In May, the privately-owned river boat, the St. Francis, was blocked by Congo RDC soldiers at Imphondo, Likouala region, in the north. This boat was carrying a large number of passengers. Witnesses report that along the Oubangui river one sees only military boats transporting troops and weaponry.
A crucial problem has arisen because of food shortages among the host of refugees. Likouala region has a population of some 130,000 inhabitants; to which must now be added more than 100,000 refugees coming from Congo RDC (figures supplied by the local authorities). Among them, there are defeated rebels and soldiers. This mass of refugees is hard put to find enough food. According to the UNHCR, Ndjoundou has been transformed into an immense camp refugee camp, with absolutely no organisation. The UNHCR‘s representative in the area states: «The humanitarian situation is precarious. People are living in overcrowded villages. There’s severe cases of malnutrition, diarrhoea and cholera — all resulting in deaths».
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