Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-11-19-Speech-3-023"
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"en.20081119.3.3-023"2
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"Mr President, we all understand the complexities of the current appalling situation in eastern Congo, which is ethnically based and has its origins in Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.
An effective mediation process between Rwanda and the DRC must be started as a matter of urgency. A ceasefire needs to be put in place and properly enforced, and the civil population clearly needs protection and urgent humanitarian assistance.
I am reminded of the recent statement by the Permanent Representative of the African Union to Brussels in Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence, when he indicated his preference for Africans to deal with security issues on their continent. I am pleased, therefore, that the EU has not sought to use the Congo tragedy as an opportunity merely to put its label on another so-called EU military operation. It is primarily Africans who must take responsibility for resolving the present situation, but we must give them every possible assistance in doing this through the African Union and the United Nations.
Meanwhile, there seems to be some ambiguity concerning the mandate, rules of engagement and use of force by MONUC. MONUC’s commander, Lieutenant-General Vicente Díaz de Villegas, recently resigned after seven weeks in the job. He cited personal reasons, but I wonder if it was not professional frustration.
However, it is encouraging that on 6 November, a thousand-member South African force deployed near Goma as part of MONUC. The MONUC head claims that they have instructions to open fire if necessary. MONUC must be able to act to protect civilians against imminent threats of violence. Clearly, there needs to be a substantial increase in numbers of effective UN and AU troops deployed in eastern Congo and a clear idea of where they come from – there are many countries that could contribute to this that are not doing so at the moment.
If the West fails to do all that it can to assist operations in the Congo, there are other less high-minded actors waiting in the wings."@en1
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