Regardless of threats from the central government in Kinshasa or MONUC (UN Mission in the Congo) it is apparent that the various militia groups that are active in the Kivu Provinces are not afraid of the Kabila government or its allies.
Over the last few weeks the reports of increased operations by various militia groups have increased steadily. The LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) a Ugandan militia has raided several towns along the border between the DRC and Sudan. At one point there was a clash with the armed forces of the government of South Sudan (GOSS). These incidents are partially due to the failure of the LRA to sign a peace accord with the Ugandan government. Some of the senior leadership of the LRA have been indicted by the International Criminal Court as well.
Another problem that continues to fester is the FDLR (Democratic for the Liberation of Rwanda). This militia is composed of elements of the surviving groups that perpetrated the 1994 genocide. After being driven out of the country by forces commanded by current President Kagame they set up shop in the Kivu provinces. Currently this militia has set up its own police force and levies its own taxes. MONUC and Congolese government forces may have a problem defeating this force.
There is a Congolese militia that is operating in the region as well. The CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People) has recently stated its intent to overthrow the current government of Joseph Kabila. Recent reports that two members of the parliament and dozens of local leaders from the North Kivu province will give a modicum of legitimacy to the efforts to conduct its mission.
General Nkunda the commander of the CNDP has received copious amount of criticism from the UN, the State Department and other governments for his pledge to overthrow the government. He also currently faces war crimes charges from Kinshasa as well. He sees himself as a guardian of the current peace process to boot.
One question that needs to be asked is what will happen to those people who have paid the price for over a decade of chaos in the region. Those would happen to be the women of the DRC. Sadly thousands of women were targeted for abuse by the warring factions during the actual war in the DRC and as a result of actions by the militias. The cost of rehabilitating them is a cost that is mind blowing as well.
Also in the month of October, there has been the emergence of a new militia. The FPJC (Front Congolais pour la Justice au Congo) suddenly made an appearance and launched a new offensive in the Ituri area. It appears that the objective of this offensive was the town of Marabo. This attempt was turned back by Morroccan peacekeepers.
Until these factors are resolved there will not be any peace in the DRC or the region as a whole. The militias are the problem that most of the world sees due to the reports that are issued by the UN Security Council and other bodies. The victims of sexual abuse are the problems that go underreported most times. Only specialized doctors and activists can really assess this problem and determine the best course of action. Then maybe peace can be restored.
