By shunning the East African Community initiative which is already in progress, in preference of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Congolese regime head Félix Tshisekedi is motivated by false perceptions about SADC’s successes in his country’s conflicts. In the past (2013) they did register some victories against M23, due to tactical withdrawals by the latter.
What Tshisekedi will know is that 2023 is far different.
First and foremost, the fact that the M23, which was supposedly ‘defeated’ in 2013 came back stronger and more professional is testimony that they were never defeated. You can’t defeat a just cause! What the Kinshasa regime has to do is recognize the rights of Congolese Tutsi citizens, and also cease Tshisekedi’s genocidal agenda against them.
For Tshisekedi to think that he can use SADC as mercenaries to fight his wars and achieve an unjust victory is highly delusional. Also, one has to ask: will SADC agree to be knowingly turned into a mercenary force for a failed regime?
Why didn’t the so-called “defeat” of the M23 Movement bring peace to eastern DRC those ten years ago? Because, to repeat, you can’t defeat a just cause, no matter the tricks you resort to.
Currently it seems, according to some reports, that the SADC (Force Intervention Brigade)’s intentions and actions are to target only the M23 rebels. If so, that indeed will turn out to be misguided. One hopes they will target the truly terrorist/genocidal groups with no cause to fight for, except looting and perpetuating insecurity.
But before Tshisekedi starts celebrating the fact that his request to SADC for troops has been “granted”, he needs to think about 2013 and be mindful of the circumstances that surrounded the entire scenario in 2013.
To SADC, the leaders in office today are not the same who took the unfortunate decision in 2013. They should understand that the best way to assist DRC to achieve lasting peace is not to silence the M23 by bombing them out of existence, but through meaningful dialogue that would eradicate ethnic discrimination, persecution of a section of Congolese nationals, and promotion of good governance in DRC.