Pope Francis appeals for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo

by Congo | Dec 27, 2016 | Congo Today

Question 9

Esaïe Ngungu / Radio Sauti ya Injili (Goma): I would like to know what is blocking the Intervention Brigade? Because we were present when this brigade entered the Congo, and it had been really applauded by the population, hoping that it had come to eradicate and sweep away all the negative forces based in the forest of the east of the Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo. I would like to know: what is blocking it?

Acting military spokesperson for MONUSCO [Capitaine Yassine Kasim]: [Capitaine Yassine Kasim]: I will just repeat what the MONUSCO spokesman said. It is an asymmetrical war. The mode of operation of this war is not that of a classical force against another classical force.

These elements are scattered in the jungle, the jungle is very dense. Even with this force, even with the periodic operations that are carried out every week, we still need some time to eradicate and eliminate all these negative elements in the region.

Spokesperson for MONUSCO [Félix Prosper Basse]: I will just complete by going back to what you said at the beginning of your question. You are right to say that we all witnessed the initial deployment of the Intervention Brigade here in the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the adoption of resolution 2098 which mandated MONUSCO to neutralize the armed groups by using force .

This is a novelty of course in the United Nations system, at least in peacekeeping operations, to have peacekeepers who are authorized to wage war to neutralize armed groups.

But also, we have to be honest. Because when this Intervention Brigade began its initial deployment, there was first talk of deploying the South Africans, then the Tanzanians. The Malawians came a little later, because they had to be transferred from the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire where they were deployed.

So it took time for the Intervention Brigade to be fully implemented and operational. That’s a factor.

But we also recalled that the Intervention Brigade was not the panacea. It means precisely that the management of expectations was a condition we had taken into account, right from the start, telling you that the Intervention Brigade alone could not do anything.

The Intervention Brigade came to work with the Congolese defense and security forces, but also, with the Congolese people, because they were deployed in a new environment, it was necessary to adapt.

But all in all, with all the activities that were carried out by the Intervention Brigade, the most striking action of which was to support the FARDC, to neutralize the M23, which, as you know, was a Established force, which has proved sufficiently its capacity of nuisance, because it has captured Goma, it must not be forgotten.

And it was with the Intervention Brigade, but thanks to the valor, courage and professionalism of Congolese soldiers that we managed to dismiss the M23.
Beyond the M23, many other armed groups have been significantly weakened, when I take the territory of Masisi, you remember, on the axis from Kashebere, Mpofi to the territory of Walikale, but this axis was Controlled at all times by the Mayi-Mayi.

I give the example of Pinga, where Cheka made the law, we cleared it from there. I take Mount Sinai where APCLS had its headquarters, the Alliance of Patriots for a Free and Sovereign Congo of January Kariri, it was cleared by the units of the Intervention Brigade, the Malawians in particular, in support of the FARDC.

I can quote others. As I said, much has been done, much remains to be done. But the Intervention Brigade is not blocked. The evidence, she supported the FARDC again on 16 December [2016] in the Eringeti region to counter the ADF which had launched another attack on the Garlic and Nadui camp.

We continue to work with our Congolese brothers to secure the populations. It’s a long-term job. I do not know if you really understand what it is to make war. But here we have no opportunity to develop tactical courses, etc., but I can tell you one thing, it is not an easy thing, especially in a terrain, an environment like that of the Democratic Republic Of the Congo, whose geographical dimension is besides at the continental limit. It must be recognized that this is not easy, there are a multitude of different armed groups, which are born and disappear every day.

But we must recognize the efforts made by the FARDC and which lead to certain surrenders, to the conquest of certain strengths of the armed groups, I think that we must also respect the conscience of soldiers who died, but also the awareness of Helmets Who lost their lives in these operations. We lost one at Butembo, we have two wounded.

So I think we have to be fair and be able to pose the problem objectively.

Congo
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