Congolese ruler Tshisekedi is enjoying his moment of glory, basking in the bliss of the temporary coddling by some in the international community that fail to hold him accountable for his country’s messes, but someone needs to bring him up to speed with reality – before it is too late. When all is said and done, the conflict in the east of DRC is a Congolese internal matter, nothing more, nothing less. Statements will be issued by powerful nations, and armies will pour into DRC carrying all sorts of heavy arms and ammunition. But when all the bombs and gunfire finally go quiet, the problems of Congo will still be there: poor governance, poverty, disease, unemployment, illiteracy, name it.
If Tshisekedi loves his country, as he claims, he should avoid making the same mistake his predecessor made when faced with a similar situation. Back in 2013, Joseph Kabila mobilized his friends (who were in control of the levers of power at the time in Tanzania and South Africa) who, through underhand manipulations at the UN system, managed to send troops under cover of the United Nations mission in DRC to attack M23. Driven not by the motivation to search for lasting peace but unrestrained vengeance, the intervention brigade attacked M23, with intent to wipe them out. They were meddling in Congolese affairs moreover, whereby M23 was fighting for the rights of their community, as citizens of DRC. A decade later, the M23 movement is back, stronger, and more determined to have the issues they fight for addressed.
Unfortunately, Tshisekedi seems to believe that he can use the same strategy of violence, to achieve the goal of genocide (against Congolese Tutsi communities).
But, unlike in 2013, the region has chosen to intervene to mediate the conflict to achieve lasting peace and stability in eastern DRC. Out of respect and trust in the wisdom of regional leaders, the M23 movement has accepted to give peace a chance, and withdraw from territories they captured during their recent operations.
Even then, Tshisekedi is bent on violence and genocide. He is seriously mistaken if he thinks this will get him anywhere, or achieve anything other than endless regional chaos.
He has chosen to ignore all the recommendations of the regional peace mechanisms and continues to mobilize a coalition of his military (FARDC) and internationally sanctioned armed terrorist groups like FDLR, PARECO, CODECO, MAI-MAI, ACPLS who have continued to attack the M23, in violation of the ceasefire brokered by regional leaders in Luanda.
Once again, Tshisekedi is making a very big mistake in thinking that he can achieve peace only through violence.
Only direct negotiations with the M23 movement can guarantee sustainable peace in eastern DRC.